Tales of Republic City
by DJNS
Summary: Vignettes of Kataang family life in Republic City.
1. Changes and Additions

**Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA. It belongs to Mike and Bryan. Me just borrow, so you no sue.**

**A/N: These vignettes sort of take place in the same universe as **_**New Beginnings**_** and **_**The Night They Made Tenzin**_**, but you don't have to read those stories to get these. It's all just my headcanon anyway.**

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**Tales of Republic City**

**Changes and Additions**

"Here we are," Aang announced as he brought Appa in for a landing along the waterfront, "This is Air Temple Island." The declaration was superfluous, yet Aang made it anyway…anything to break the monotonous and tension-filled silence that had fallen between him and Katara.

He and his family, along with Katara's elderly grandmother, had left the Southern Air Temple that morning in the early, pre-dawn hours to make the nearly sixteen hour journey to Republic City…their new home. Aang had expected the change in their circumstances to be met with bittersweet reactions from his family. He had mentally prepared himself for the tears, anguish and even outright rebellion that would accompany his announcement that he was moving the family to Republic City permanently.

Kya and Bumi, for their part, had been surprisingly open to the idea once the initial shock and dismay wore off. Katara, on the other hand, still seemed troubled despite the fact she and Aang had made the decision together. Her response seemed well beyond sadness too. Aang sensed that she was panicked and unsure as well…as if she was preparing herself for impending disaster. And, unfortunately for Aang, her anxious uncertainty had manifested itself in a pervasive silence for the duration of their trip.

At the start of the morning, Katara's uncommon quiet hadn't been so glaringly obvious. The first half of their journey had been filled with Kya and Bumi's continual childish chatter and occasional bickering. The ten year old and five year old had bounced mercurially between being loving siblings and bitter enemies with Aang and Katara intervening when matters became too heated. Kanna, too, had eased the tension filled atmosphere between husband and wife with her intermittent queries about what life was like in Republic City and whether or not she would like living there. It was, perhaps, the most engaged Katara had been since the trip began.

But eventually…Kya, Bumi and Kanna dozed off, one by one inevitably conquered by the unending tedium of the long trip, leaving Aang and Katara in uncomfortable silence. The stark change made it impossible for Aang to continue pretending that all was well. Something serious was going on with his wife. Consequently, he spent the remainder of the journey guiding Appa and silently agonizing over the reason for Katara's sudden mood shift while Katara spent the remainder of the journey curled up in Appa's saddle while silently agonizing over how to tell Aang the reason for her sudden mood shift. Unfortunately, in the end, neither of them ended up speaking a word to the other at all even while _talking_ was the exact thing they wanted to do.

It was only when they finally landed on the island that Aang managed to swallow down his trepidation and address the figurative elephant-hippo that had somehow wedged itself between him and Katara. He twisted a glance up at her over his shoulder. Presently, she was contorting herself in a graceful stretch to work the kinks out of her back, but despite her languorous action it was impossible for Aang not to notice how haggard she appeared.

When she started to reach over to nudge her grandmother into wakefulness, he rushed out softly, "Don't!" Katara reflexively dropped her hand and stared at him with wide eyes. "Don't wake them just yet," he whispered, "I was hoping that you and I could take a walk around the grounds…maybe talk a little…"

Although, Katara's expression said that she would very much like to do exactly that, her treacherous and cowardly heart compelled her into shaking her head in refusal. "Aang, it's been a long day." She flicked a glance out towards the horizon where the sun was already sagging low and casting the city in its tawny glow. "It will be dark soon. I'm exhausted. Gran-Gran is exhausted and so are the kids. They need their baths, they need dinner and then they need sleep."

Not to be deterred, Aang swiveled to face her completely, gray eyes beseeching. "So let them rest here in the saddle for a little while," he reasoned, "A few minutes won't hurt." When she still appeared conflicted over the offer, he added in a cajoling tone, "Katara, come on. At least let me show you all the additions Zuko and I have made since the last time you were here."

Still clearly vacillating, Katara dropped a lingering glance to her children's sleeping countenances before regarding Aang again. He sat there, expression hopeful and his smile sweetly beguiling. Katara groaned inwardly. She had never been invulnerable to his smile, especially when he was trying to be charming. Despite the emotional turmoil churning inside her gut right then, she found herself smiling back at him a bit.

"Okay…" Katara finally relented with a small sigh, "I guess a few minutes won't hurt."

For the first few minutes they walked together in companionable silence, the quiet between them disturbed only when Aang pointed out a particular landmark on the island. They made pleasant small talk and passed lame jokes, but both knew that they would be unable to avoid the discord between them indefinitely. They knew they needed to talk but both were reluctant to start the conversation.

But then, it had always been like that between them. Although, they were best friends and there had never been any secrets between them, marriage and children had made the waters of communication a bit tricky for them to navigate at times. They could talk about anything and everything with each other…but that didn't mean that all things were _easy_ to talk about or that there weren't things, at times, said by one that the other might not want to hear.

With a creeping sense of dread, Aang suspected that this might be one of those times. However, in keeping with the promises they had made to each other, Aang knew they couldn't skirt the issue between them any longer…just as they had never skirted hard issues in the past. With that in mind, he sucked in a fortifying breath and simply decided to dive right in.

"Do you regret coming here with me, Katara?" he asked bluntly.

The question brought her up short and had her jerking her blue eyes to his face in a dumbfounded stare. "What? No! Why would you think that?"

"What else am I supposed to think? You've been moody and tense ever since we started packing up the Air Temple to come here. You've barely spoken two words to me this entire week!"

"Way to exaggerate there, Aang! You know that's not true!"

Gaping in disbelief over her flat denial of something he felt was rather obvious, Aang whipped around to face her. "Right. I guess if you don't count asking me what I want for dinner or if I have clean underwear or conversations about the kids or the move, then yeah, it is true, Katara," he insisted a little irritably as he ticked off each point on his fingers, "As far as having a real conversation…just being together, being _us_…we haven't done that in a while. I feel like the only time we really connect on a personal level is when we're in bed together…and even that's been sporadic lately."

Cheeks blazing with embarrassment and anger, Katara fired back, "Well, welcome to life, Aang! This is what happens when you have children. We can't have lazy days in bed all day anymore. There are children to feed and chores to be done! So yeah, more often than not, it's responsibility and monotony. I'm sorry if that disappoints you! It can't always fun and games," she mumbled, arms crossed defensively. "Maybe you'd know that if you were around more."

Aang blinked at her, caught somewhere between dismay and annoyance. "Wow…"

Katara refused to retract her words even if, deep in her heart, she regretted hurting him by saying them. "It's true, isn't it?"

"Did I say I expected it to be 'fun and games?'" he flashed back. "I know it's not! I get that, but… _We_ had a relationship _before_ we had children, Katara! My commitment was to _you_ first! I love our children, but you're the one I'm going to spend my life with! Our marriage is the priority for me. Us! Always! You say you miss me when I'm gone, but when I'm actually here you can't be bothered!"

Tears welled in Katara's eyes with the accusation. "That is not fair!"

Aang averted his face as much in obstinacy as he did to avoid seeing her cry. "Well, that's how I feel," he maintained.

Hurt by the accusation, riddled with guilt and more than a little hormonal, Katara sought refuge in righteous indignation and dripping sarcasm. "Aang, I have two small children, a school and an entire temple to care for…not to mention being the primary caregiver for my aging grandmother! I'm sorry if I failed in making you feel like you're the center of my universe! Please, forgive me, oh mighty Avatar."

The reprimand smarted and Aang flinched in guilty reaction. "That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

"I want to make time for us," he stressed.

"And you think I don't?" Katara cried, "Who do you think was holding things together when you were gone all the time, huh? Why do you think I did that? So you wouldn't feel so burdened and there _would_ be time for us!"

He deflated then, his argument rendered moot and insignificant in the face of that immutable fact. "I know that," he whispered, "I know, Katara. And I'm sorry that all of the responsibility fell on your shoulders. I know it wasn't right, but I'm trying to fix it! Why do you think I suggested we come here? I want to be available to help you with this stuff."

"But will you really be available, Aang?" Katara lamented tearfully, "I mean…nothing has really changed except that we're closer. You're still as busy as ever. You're going to be in council meetings day in and day out with Zuko, Sokka and Toph trying to make this city into a haven for benders and nonbenders of all nations and I'll be…I'll be…"

"You'll be what?" he prodded when she trailed off into broken silence.

Katara shook her head sharply and presented him with her back. "Nothing."

However, Aang was not going to be deterred that easily. He saddled around her so that she had no choice but to face him head on. It was a tactic that _she_ had taught him. "Say what's on your mind, Katara," he urged, "Tell me. Do you resent me for being away and leaving you alone with the kids? Are you feeling left out? Are you feeling burdened? Are you having second thoughts about serving on the council? What is it, Katara? I can't help if you don't tell me!"

"I'm pregnant, okay!" she cried wildly when it seemed he wouldn't stop hammering at her. _That_ shut him up. Aang sucked in a sharpened breath and completely forgot to release it. Katara slumped forward, suddenly feeling drained and defeated in the aftermath of their argument and her agitated confession. "That's what's wrong. I'm pregnant."

It was a long time before she found the courage to lift her eyes and look at him again and, when she did, he was still staring at her with the same staggered expression. "Well…" she pressed a little desperately, "…say something."

Aang had to swallow several times before he could speak again. Finally, he managed a croaked, "When?"

"I think it might have been the night you came home…the night of the storm."

"That was nearly two months ago, Katara!"

She winced in guilty reaction. "I…I know."

"You've known this whole time and you didn't say anything to me?" Aang cried, still a bit dazed by her news. Now it became clear to him why she had seemed so tired lately and why she had been so incredibly moody. "Why would you do that?"

"I didn't know the whole time," she interjected defensively, "But I have for a while now…at least a few weeks."

"Why didn't you say anything to me?"

Katara threw her arms up in a frustrated gesture. "It's complicated!"

"Try me!"

His insistence seemed to fluster her even more. "Oh my goodness, Aang! You and I had just finished having this long conversation about how we would wait to have more babies. We were making all these plans for enrolling Kya and Bumi in regular school and talking about how much time we would have to spend together and…well…"

"You thought I would be disappointed," Aang finished for her in quiet summary.

Katara inclined her head in a small nod and peeked up at him through the damp fan of her lashes. "Are…are you?" she asked hesitantly.

"Are you?" he countered with equal hesitation.

"I asked you first!"

"Well, I asked you second!"

Katara rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Aang, come on!"

Recognizing that he couldn't evade her any further, Aang dropped his head forward with a heavy sigh. "I don't know what to say to you. I'm afraid that, no matter what I tell you, you're not going to like my answer."

"Just be honest with me," Katara urged him, her tone trembling despite the certainty of her words. "I want to know."

"Okay," Aang replied, pausing to take a deep breath, "I'm not disappointed at all."

Katara regarded him with wide, wet eyes filled with surprise and…relief. "You're not?"

He smiled and dropped a gentle kiss to the tip of her nose. "No. Did you really expect me to be?"

"Aang, you just went through that whole spiel about how I don't make any time for you only five minutes ago," Katara reminded him skeptically. "If you feel that way now, then how are you going to feel with a new baby in the house?"

"It was never my intention for you to feel like you have to choose between me and the kids, Katara." When he noticed her difficulty meeting his eyes, Aang gently nudged her beneath her chin and brought her reluctant gaze to his earnest one. "I don't want our relationship to get lost in the day to day. I don't want us to ever take what we have for granted. You're my best friend and I want it to stay that way."

"I want that too," she whispered.

"And earlier, what I said to you, it was out of line and completely wrong. I was being a brat because you weren't talking to me and, instead of simply telling you that I was hurt and confused, I picked at you. I'm sorry."

"Well, it's true," Katara considered drolly, biting back a smile, "You are a brat…but I love you anyway. Apology accepted."

"Gee, thanks." He tried to make a disgruntled face at her but spoiled it by laughing. He framed her face in his hands and smacked her lips in a sound kiss. "I can't believe you're pregnant!"

"I can't believe it either. I've been trying to wrap my head around it this whole time."

"I'll bet."

"I should have told you, Aang," Katara confessed after a quiet moment of introspection, "I'm sorry I didn't. I know I hurt you by being so quiet and moody, especially because you didn't have an explanation for why I was acting that way. You would think I would have learned by now that avoiding a problem only makes it worse, but…I guess I was feeling really overwhelmed. I don't think I was ready to talk about it. And then, by the time I was ready, I was too scared to do it."

"And what about now? Are you still scared?"

"I'm not so much scared as I am uncertain," she replied, "You have to admit that the timing is really lousy. We're going to have our hands full in the next few months splitting our time between Republic City and the Southern Air Temple until Anil is ready to take full responsibility for the temple. Then there are your avatar duties, the children and the added responsibility of caring for Gran-Gran and… Well, it's really not the best time to have a baby, is it?"

"Probably not," Aang conceded, but before Katara could even decide if she felt disappointed and saddened by the admission, he added, "But I want to."

Katara sagged against him, leaning her forehead into his shoulder with a grateful sigh before eagerly turning up her face for his kiss. "Me too."

**~End~**


	2. Unexpected

**Unexpected**

"Hey, Katara, is Aang around?"

Katara swiveled around in surprise, an instantly forgotten dust-cloth dangling from her fingers, to find Toph Bei Fong hovering in the threshold of her front door. She immediately tossed the ragged towel aside , wiped her hands on her apron and greeted her friend with a wide grin. "Toph! It's so good to see you!" Katara quickly closed the distance between them and embraced Toph, seemingly impervious to her friend's unyielding armor or her own expanding middle which protruded between them as she hugged her tightly. "So what brings our esteemed chief of police to my humble abode?"

Toph shrugged out of her arms with a noncommittal snort. "Katara, please. I just had dinner here two weeks ago."

"Well, maybe that's a hint that you should stop being such a stranger and drop by here more often," Katara returned airily. "My babies miss their Aunt Toph."

"You mean Bumi misses throwing boomerangs at my head."

"He knows you'll dodge them."

"Right…" Toph grumbled flatly. "How is your grandmother?"

"She's hanging in there, I guess. It's clear that she doesn't have the stamina she used to have though."

"It's really good that you're taking care of her the way you do."

Katara dismissed that praise with a diffident shrug. "Well, she took care of me first. I'm just returning the favor."

As they continued making small talk, Katara gradually became aware of Toph's somber countenance and rigid stance. While she made an effort to be her usual, sarcastic self, Katara could sense that Toph's heart truly wasn't in it. Although the earthbender's facial expressions were commonly remote due to her blindness, in the seventeen plus years that they had known one another Katara had become rather adept at reading the subtle changes in her friend's moods. Suspecting that what had brought Toph to her door was likely something serious, Katara cut to the chase.

"I suppose you're here on business, huh?"

"In a manner of speaking…" Toph evaded.

Katara squared her shoulders in resignation, stamping down the disappointment and frustration that rose within her with the reality that Aang's duties would, once again, pull him away from his family. "Aang isn't far," she told Toph. "He was just giving me a break. He took the kids out a little while ago to play so they could work off some energy before dinner. Have a seat and I'll go get him for you."

"I'm sorry to do this to you, Katara," Toph mumbled as she took the seat that Katara had offered. "I know that this is Aang's day to spend with you guys and I…um… Well, I wouldn't have stopped by here if I didn't need to talk to him. It's important."

"Is it the Triads again?" Katara asked, frowning with concern.

"When is it not the Triads?" Toph asked with a humorless smile. "What began as a series of petty crimes is slowly turning into an epidemic! You know, I used to think that once the war ended people would be so grateful to put it behind them that living in peace would become second nature to them. But nope. Now we've got benders attempting to oppress nonbenders. It's insane."

"Well, as long as there are people who think they're superior to another based on personal ability or nationality or material status, I guess there never really will be peace…not until _everyone_ understands that we're all equal no matter who we are or where we come from."

"That's a depressing reality."

Katara eased down beside her and patted Toph's hand in commiseration. "It won't always be this way. That's what we're fighting for, remember?" When Toph didn't seem buoyed by the prompt, Katara asked, "Are you getting any closer to figuring out who's funding these people?"

Toph shook her head. "Not yet. Whoever is pulling the strings…he either inspires an unbelievable amount of loyalty in his minions or a whole lot of fear. I'm getting nowhere in my interrogations with these petty thugs and you know how persuasive I can be." Katara grunted a laugh, knowing full well that Toph's definition of 'persuasive' was just another way of saying she was tough and volatile when it came to rooting out the truth. "All I know it that," Toph continued, "if we're going to find out who's dragging down our city, we're going to have to stop handling these criminals with kid gloves!"

"Still haven't convinced Aang that bending removal should part of a prison sentence, have you?"

"Not exactly. And I guess I understand why he wouldn't want to take on that responsibility. I mean, you know what it took for Aang to go there with Firelord Ozai. These Triad thugs haven't even committed a tenth of his crimes."

"But…" Katara prodded knowingly.

"But, benders who misuse their abilities this way to terrorize others and take the things they've worked so hard for… It reeks of the old Fire Nation regime and it doesn't sit right with me. I don't know, Katara. It just gives me a bad feeling."

"You and Aang will figure it out," Katara stated confidently, "You always do."

"Maybe," Toph replied in a cryptic tone before abruptly changing the subject altogether. "So how is it going with you these days, huh?" She reached out a hand to blindly grope along the round slope of Katara's belly. "Feels like you're getting bigger."

"I _am_ getting bigger," Katara confirmed dryly. "I'm also tired. And fat. And I'm ready to have this kid."

"How much longer?"

"A month or a month and a half, give or take a couple of weeks, and then I get my body back." Katara wilted back into the cushions with a billowing sigh. "I can't wait."

Toph emitted a rumbling giggle. "Haven't we had this conversation before?"

"Hmm…yeah, I'm thinking at least two other times."

"So you think you and Aang will do this again soon?"

"Do what? You mean have another baby? Toph, really! We haven't even had this one yet!"

"I don't know," Toph considered with a deceptively casual shrug, "It's just…you seem to like it."

"Seem to like what?"

"Being pregnant," Toph uttered softly, "Being a mom…all of it. And don't bother to deny it, Katara! You can complain all you want about your swollen feet and your aching back and how tired you are, but I hear the smile in your voice whenever you talk about Kya and Bumi. I know how much you love the baby inside you and it's not even born yet."

"Yeah," Katara confessed with a small smile, "I do love them a lot."

"They changed you," Toph considered, "Becoming a mom changed you."

"Really? You think so? And here I was under the impression that you always thought I was motherly."

"This is true," Toph conceded with an ironic smile, "But it's still different now. I mean, you used to be there right along with me, Aang and Sokka adventuring and fighting off the bad guys. We were Team Avatar and no one was stronger, better or faster than us. And now it's all different. You don't hang with us anymore. It's like you've retired or something."

"Of course it's different," Katara replied, "I'm a mother now…a _real_ mother. My children need me and I need to be here with them. I know that, as the Avatar, Aang has a duty to the world. He has to serve it. There's no way around that. But I have a duty to my children."

"But don't you miss it? The adrenaline rush? The excitement? Don't you ever feel like you're missing out?"

"I did in the very beginning," Katara confessed. "I had this mindset that even though I was a mother it didn't have to change anything. I remember after Kya was born, I still tried to go with Aang wherever he was needed because it was my job to protect him. I'd been doing it since I was fourteen years old and I didn't know how to stop. He was looking out for the world, but I was looking out for him."

"Yeah, I remember…" Toph murmured fondly.

"And besides that, I was a fighter and I wanted to fight alongside my husband," Katara continued, "At first, it seemed to work out. We'd take the baby with us whenever we went out on a mission and she was so sweet-tempered and she loved flying so much, that it was a breeze. It really seemed like everything was going to fall into place. But it only took us being ambushed on the road one time for me to realize I didn't want to put my daughter in that kind of jeopardy. I had to decide right then who needed my protection more…Aang or Kya. I chose Kya."

"And you never regretted that? You never resented all those changes in your life and having to be apart from Aang?"

"I'm not saying that I didn't have my moments. I think sometimes I still do. But when I consider whether or not I'd do anything different if I was given the chance…I don't think I would."

Toph sat silent for a few moments, as if she were thinking carefully about her next words. When she finally spoke again her words were hoarse with emotion. "I think it's different for you, Katara," she whispered, "You've always had a purpose in your life, even before you met Aang. You've always been a nurturer and a caregiver. It's your entire spirit.

"But I didn't find my purpose in life until _after_ I ran away with you guys. I grew up in those months we spent together and they changed me. That's when I absolutely knew that I wanted to serve beside Aang always. I wanted to help him keep the peace in the world and to stamp out injustice wherever it existed. I wanted to help people like me, who maybe didn't have a purpose, to find one…to find themselves like you guys helped me find myself. _That's_ what I'm good at, Katara."

"You are good at it, Toph," Katara agreed softly, "You built a successful school for metalbenders. You've helped build this city and you fight every day to keep it safe. Why do you think Aang and Zuko wanted you as Republic City's police chief? You're fair and you're tough and if anyone can root out injustice, it's you."

"But how I can continue to do that, Katara? How can I do my job? How can I protect this city? How can I live the life that I want if I'm…if I'm…"

"…if you're pregnant?" her friend finished for her quietly. "Are you, Toph? Are you pregnant?"

Toph clenched her fingers in her lap and hung her head with a miserable sigh, unable to give verbal confirmation to Katara's query. "How did you know?"

"Honestly…I wasn't completely sure until this moment."

Toph swallowed roughly. "I didn't want it to be true. I thought that if I ignored it, it would go away. But my armor keeps getting tighter and tighter and I've reached a point where I can't ignore the changes in my body any longer."

"What about the father?"

If possible, Toph's features became even more inscrutable, almost glacial with the question. "He's not in the picture."

"Does he know about the baby?"

"He's not in the picture, Katara!" Toph bit out sharply. "If I'm going to do this…have a kid…then I'm going to do it on my own, okay!"

"You know you're not alone, Toph. Aang, Sokka, Suki and I will help you. We're your family."

"I don't need you guys to take care of me or clean up my messes," Toph muttered, "I can take care of myself. I just need to figure out what my next move should be. That's the whole reason I came here to speak to Aang because I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to do my job."

"Well, that's a good start. A leave of absence from work really isn't such a bad idea," Katara advised softly, "You may not feel it now, but eventually that baby is going to start to drain your energy like you wouldn't believe. And you might want to ditch the armor too. It's not good for the baby."

The earthbender's reaction to that was less than enthused. "Great."

"Toph, your baby is going to need room to grow. It will be more comfortable for you. Trust me."

Somehow the advice, albeit well-meaning and sound, only served to increase the rhythmic pounding in Toph's skull. She dropped her face into her hands with a heavy groan. "What am I doing? This is insane! I can't be a mom! I don't know the first thing about kids!"

"What are you talking about? You're surrounded by kids all the time!" Katara reminded her with an amused eye roll.

"Yeah, but they're not _my _kids," Toph argued, "I can leave the little brats behind whenever I want."

"You do have a point there."

Toph straightened slowly, her breath soughing from her lungs in a trembling rush. "Maybe I shouldn't go through with it," she considered aloud, carefully waiting for Katara's response to that. When her friend didn't reply immediately to her implication, Toph said, "I know you know about that kind of stuff, Katara…I mean…how to help me not be pregnant anymore. You could help me to do that, couldn't you?"

"I…could…" Katara replied in a hesitant tone, "But you did mention to me that your body was already starting to change so…if it has…it may already be too late for me to do anything about it because you're too far along."

"Then I'm screwed," Toph concluded sullenly, "Excellent."

"Well, I'd have to look first," Katara argued, "I really can't tell with you wearing all this metal."

"Trust me. It's too late. I guess the Universe has finally decided to transfer its hate for Sokka to me instead."

Sympathizing with the hopeless desolation in Toph's voice, Katara gave her back a consoling pat. "It doesn't have to be that dire, you know."

"Says you. No matter what you say, this situation sucks a dog-donkey's butt, Katara, and you know it!"

"You're only saying that because you haven't let yourself consider the positives yet."

"What positives?" Toph cried, "Are you insane? There are _no_ positives!"

"Of course there are, Toph! You're having a baby. It's not the end of the world! Believe it or not, this pregnancy might turn out to be the best thing that has ever happened to you!"

"Spoken like a woman who's married to her soulmate and living out her fairytale life with her two delightful children and a third on the way," Toph snorted derisively, "Yeah, I'm so sure you're without bias here, Katara!"

Katara drew herself back with an indignant huff. "You think I'm living a 'fairytale life?'" she hissed in disbelief. Though Toph didn't answer, the obstinate jut of her chin screamed that she thought exactly that. "Well, you couldn't be more wrong! It's not a picnic raising your children alone because your husband is gone 50% of the time! It's been really hard for me. Aang and I have fought a lot. It got so bad that I even thought about leaving him once…not because I didn't want to be with him, but because I wanted him to know how neglected I was feeling."

"Wow, Katara…" Toph uttered after a speechless beat, "I didn't know. You and Aang always seem so happy."

"We _are_ happy," Katara insisted softly, "but that doesn't mean that we don't have problems or that our life together is all roses and sunshine. It's hard work!"

"I didn't mean to imply otherwise."

"Believe it or not, Toph, I get what you're feeling right now. When I first found out I was pregnant with this baby, I didn't know how to feel about it," she continued in a whisper, "Aang and I were just starting to get back to a good place where things made sense and we were both looking forward to spending more time together. A baby was the last thing we were planning for, the last thing we wanted so this pregnancy seemed very ill-timed, not to mention inconvenient. I wasn't thrilled at first.

"So yeah…I found myself thinking about doing exactly what you're thinking about doing right now. I thought it would be easier in the long run and it would be better for my marriage."

"Really?" Katara nodded solemnly. "But you didn't do it."

"No, I didn't. In the long run, I knew I couldn't make a decision like that without Aang and…I also knew that I was probably being motivated by fear more than anything else. I was so scared of the unknown that I couldn't even imagine anything good coming out of this pregnancy…but I was wrong."

"Well, I'm definitely scared," Toph admitted in a feeble tone, "And every time I try to imagine my life with a kid… I can't do it, Katara. It seems wrong. It feels wrong."

Katara looped her arms around Toph and brought her close, cradling her protectively much the way she would her own daughter. "It's okay to be scared Toph," she reassured her friend, "It's okay to be unsure. We've all been there before. But you're not alone in this. Don't push your friends away, especially now when you need our support and our love. Let us help you. Don't make a rash decision because you're scared."

Toph clenched her fingers spasmodically in the loose material of Katara's tunic in her fierce effort to fight back the tears burning in her throat. "I don't know if I can do this, Katara. I just don't know…"

"We'll figure it out, Toph," Katara vowed, "We'll do it together...I promise you we will."

**~End~**


	3. Circle of Life

**A/N: I just wanted to thank everyone for reading and for their kind reviews. I really appreciate it. My hope is to update these stories pretty regularly and have them completed before the end of August. We'll see how real life cooperates with that.**

**Oh, and be forewarned, the next story is a little Kataangsty, lol.**

* * *

**Circle of Life**

Katara awoke with a fitful start.

Her very first awareness was that she felt odd. There was a vague, fluttery sensation in her chest, as if her heart was quivering rather than beating. She pressed her hand there surprised to discover that was exactly what it felt like. Her breath rushed from her lungs in quick, shallow pants. Her second awareness, which was much more alarming than the first, was that she felt strangely wet and sticky. Frowning and still a bit disoriented from sleep as well as some lightheadedness, Katara reached over to light the lamp situated on her bedside table before whipping back the bedcovers for a closer inspection.

She immediately gasped in panicked horror.

"Aang?" she croaked out in a thread-bare whisper, weakly shoving against his shoulder to rouse him, "Aang! Wake up! I think I'm bleeding!"

While he had responded rather half-heartedly to her persistent nudges until that point, once Aang heard the words "I'm bleeding," he was catapulted into wakefulness. His countenance darkened with a worried frown, he instantly gathered himself at Katara's side and assisted her as she struggled to push herself upright. It took only a brief glance downward for Aang to assimilate that his wife was indeed hemorrhaging and what that meant. He met her eyes in grim reluctance.

"It's bad, isn't it?" Katara pressed shakily.

Not wanting to answer her and not wanting to closely consider the implications himself, Aang whispered instead, "Just tell me what to do. Should I get someone? Are you in pain?"

Katara sucked in a breath, assimilating the implications herself and then gave a sharp shake of her head. "No. I don't need you to call anyone."

"But what about—,"

"Just help me to the bathroom, please," she interrupted in a small, timid voice, "I need to clean up."

The pregnancy had been quite a shock. Following the birth of their youngest son, Tenzin, Katara and Aang had taken all the necessary precautions from teas to traditional brews to strange concoctions rarely heard of…everything barring complete abstinence, to avoid another pregnancy. The couple was quite happy with their three children and had no immediate plans for expanding their family. Life was good. _They_ were good and exactly where they wanted to be. But then one unassuming morning Katara had thrown up her breakfast and all the careful plans they had laid out for the future were abruptly thrown into flux. It had been a crazy up and down see-saw of emotion ever since.

Aang and Katara had only known about the pregnancy for a few weeks and were still in the process of digesting the news and plotting out their next move. Their distress over the turn of events was understandable. Tenzin had been born only a scanty four months prior to their first learning about the latest pregnancy. Now at five months old, the little boy had only just begun sleeping sporadically through the night. After his arrival, home life was a bit chaotic and fast-paced for Aang and Katara, but the new parents had looked forward to the challenge of juggling their busy schedules and a brand new baby. However, the last thing they had expected was for Katara to get pregnant again in the middle of all that and yet…that was exactly what happened.

Naturally, there had been some initial feelings of ambivalence on both their parts in regards to the news. On the one hand, they had made a child together…a pure expression of their love for one another. That alone was cause for rejoicing. On the other hand, however, they had made a child together…much too soon after the birth of their last child. If Tenzin's conception had been ill-timed, then this new child's conception was even more so. Another child also brought with it a host of new responsibilities.

Were they really ready to do this again so soon after Tenzin? And, with Aang still so busy with the Council, especially with Toph on leave until the birth of her own baby, how would Katara manage to care for their household, an infant and her aging grandmother all while newly pregnant? Were they truly prepared for the responsibility of another child? Three and a half weeks after the astonishing discovery that they would soon be parents again, Aang and Katara were still struggling to find the answers to those questions. Now, it seemed that Fate, always a fickle mistress, had intervened to provide the answers for them.

Wordlessly, Aang carefully scooped Katara into his arms and carried her to the bathroom, trying desperately to mask his shock and growing panic so as not to panic her. While he wasn't a stranger to miscarriage, Aang had honestly never fathomed that one day it would happen to _his_ wife…_his_ family. The moment was surreal. He suspected that Katara was struggling with the same disbelief. Though she seemed calm and quiet, he could well detect the frenzied emotions going on behind her eyes. Aang knew that she was in agony even without her saying a word.

He obediently followed her instructions to place her into the sunken, marble cubicle that served as their washing area. Years ago, Sokka and the Mechanist had come up with the innovative bathroom design for indoor plumbing; an enclosed washroom with a wide sprinkler head attached above. With the simple pull of a braided cord, they could control water flow through the head, which would fall upon them like rain, and bathe. Afterwards, the water would drain through a small hole situated in the bottom of the marble basin.

Sokka had proudly called his invention "the shower." Aang and Katara had been his first test subjects. Together the young couple had spent many countless hours finding all kinds of fun and alternate uses for "the shower," many of which had very little to do with the goal of getting clean. Yet neither of them had ever imagined that their private playground would ever serve the purpose that it was serving now…as a basin to wash away the remnants of their dead child.

As Katara began to peel away her soiled clothes in preparation for rinsing, Aang couldn't help but take in the sickly pallor of her skin. He had never seen her so pale. Her legs were trembling so violently that her shaking was plainly visible as she stood to strip out of her bloody clothing. Aang winced at the rivulets of blood that continued to meander down her thighs and pool at her feet.

He reached out to take hold of her hand when she started to reach for the cord to start the spray. "Katara, please," he insisted hoarsely, "You need a healer. Let me go get someone for you."

"I _am_ a healer," she countered in a leaden tone, "And there's nothing to be done. It's too late. I already know it's too late."

"At least let me—,"

"It's too late, Aang!" she cut in sharply only to wince when the shrill words echoed in her own ears. She closed her eyes and took a few, shallow breaths before attempting to speak again. "I can handle it. I'm fine. Just let me clean up a bit. I'm fine." She said the words over and over again, as if she meant not only to convince Aang, but herself as well. She pulled the cord then, bringing on the spray to wash away the dried and fresh streaks of blood that stained her thighs. The water was lukewarm and the spray was weak without the aid of her waterbending, but Katara barely registered either discomfort. With a weak moan, she leaned her face into the cold façade of the marble and closed her eyes, thoroughly exhausted both mentally and physically.

Gradually, however, she became aware that Aang continued to linger. She could feel the intensity of his gaze even without looking at him. "You can leave now," she told him, "I won't be too long."

"You want me to leave you alone?" Aang balked.

"There's nothing you can do," she reasoned.

Aang reached out to touch her bare hip, but then dropped his hand away when she flinched. He swallowed down the acrid lump of tears that had taken up residence in his throat. "Don't you want to talk about it?" he wondered tentatively.

"What is there to say? It's gone. There's nothing we can do about it now."

He cringed inwardly at the flat resignation in her tone. She was emotionless, expressionless…numb. "Katara, you just can't…we just…" He trailed off into miserable silence before he finally blurted, "What happened? How did this happen?"

"I don't know, Aang! I don't know!"

"Were you feeling bad earlier? Did you fall? Did you eat something?"

"Are you blaming me?" she croaked in pained disbelief.

"No! No, I'm not blaming you." He regarded her with imploring eyes. "I'm trying to understand, Katara."

"I don't understand, Aang," she replied in a flinty tone, "How am I supposed to make you understand?"

He whimpered a bit, wanting to cry. "What can I do for you? Tell me so I can help you, Katara."

She wanted to ask him to take her into his arms, hold her tight and use his otherworldly powers to turn back time. She wanted something to fill the incredible void that had begun to pervade her heart. She wanted the pain to go away. She wanted him to bring her baby back.

But Katara knew that Aang could do none of those things and so she found herself shaking her head in refusal of his gentle offer, rejecting his comfort. "There's nothing you can do…" she whispered when she finally found the words, "…except leave me alone. I just need to be by myself for a while."

Aang nodded his consent and slowly shifted to his feet, even when it was obvious that leaving was the last thing he wanted to do. "I'll be in our room cleaning up," he told her as he turned for the door. He cast a hopeful look at her over his shoulder, hesitating briefly before he added, "Just call if you need me." Only when he was gone did Katara's braved mask of indifference crumble. She slid down the wall of the shower, curled into a tiny ball and cried until she was empty of tears.

When she emerged from the bathroom an hour later, Aang was still awake and seated on the very edge of their bed awaiting her return. True to his word, he had cleaned the room in her absence. Not a trace of blood remained visible. Even their sheets were pristine and the bed was freshly made. Katara didn't ask how he had accomplished so much in such a short length of time. Truthfully, she didn't want to know.

"Can we talk about it now?" Aang asked as she crept inside.

Intensely dreading the conversation she knew was coming, Katara took her time closing their bedroom door before finally turning to face him again. "It's late, Aang." Her dismissal was made apparent when she strode towards their bed without meeting his eyes and peeled back the covers. "The baby will be awake soon and I'm exhausted."

"Tenzin is fine. I looked in on him before. He's awake and he's with your grandmother."

Katara froze and ducked her head with a grimace. "You told her?"

"Of course I did!" Aang cried, "What else was I supposed to do?" When the only answer he received to that question was Katara's stony silence, he sighed, "She wants to see you. I guess she knocked on the bathroom door before but you didn't answer."

"You shouldn't have said anything to her," she hissed. "It was _my_ business! It was private!"

"_What?_ Your business? What are you saying?"

"I…I'm saying I don't want to talk about it, okay!" she flung out irrationally, "I just want to move on."

"Katara, we lost a child! I can't pretend it didn't happen! _You_ can't pretend it didn't happen! You have to let yourself grieve," Aang cried.

She clapped her hands over her ears then in the obvious intention of drowning out his words. "Stop it, Aang! Just don't!" Katara bit out harshly. Without really being aware of it, she began pacing the floor erratically, her words flowing from her mouth in a confused jumble. "Look, we weren't even prepared for that baby and…and…we knew it was a bad time and we weren't ready. And…and, well…Tenzin is just a baby and…I…I couldn't…I mean…it was probably going to be a disaster anyway…" She was so frantic that she didn't realize that Aang had closed the distance between them until she felt his arms go around her.

Though she stiffened in his arms she didn't recoil entirely and that was enough to strengthen Aang's resolve to maintain his tender hold. "You didn't wish this, Katara," he whispered into her hair, "It's not your fault."

"But what if it is, Aang?" she wept in a pitiful whisper, "What if it is my fault?" He started to shake his head to reassure her otherwise, but a sharp knocking at their bedroom door stifled his words. Katara shrugged out of his arms with a wild look. "If that's Gran-Gran, I don't want to talk!"

"She only wants to help you, Katara," Aang replied as he reached for the gilded door handle, "We both do."

They both registered alternating reactions of relief and annoyance when instead of finding Kanna in the corridor; they were greeted by one of the air acolytes who served in the island temple instead. Aang squinted at him with unmasked impatience. "What is it?"

"It's Chief Bei Fong, Avatar Aang," the air acolyte explained, "Her baby is coming. She's asking for Master Katara."

Before Aang could even open his mouth to inform the temple servant that Katara was too ill to come and that he had to find another to take her place, Katara was already saying, "Let her know that I will be there shortly. Give me ten minutes to gather my supplies." After the servant was gone and they were once again secluded behind closed doors, Aang whirled to face Katara with an incredulous scowl. "You can't seriously be thinking about going there tonight, can you?" But the answer to that was obvious when Katara began obstinately pulling out her supplies from beneath their bed. Aang shook his head in disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me! You can barely stand!"

"I'm fine," she insisted, "I can handle myself."

"This is insane! Katara, listen to me! _Katara!_"

Katara whipped around to face him in an angry huff. "What, Aang?" she snapped, "What do you want me to do? Toph is expecting me! Am I supposed to tell her 'no?' She's in labor!"

"We can get someone else! Why can't we get someone else?"

"Because I promised her, okay!" Katara yanked up her bag then and fastened on her traveling cloak, her features set in an obstinate frown. "I told Toph that I would be with her through every step of her pregnancy and I won't abandon her now!"

"You're just using her as an excuse so you don't have to deal with your feelings!" Aang accused.

"Don't you dare try to tell me how I feel," she snapped, "You have no idea!"

"And whose fault is that?" he snapped back.

Realizing that their conversation was quickly escalating into a fight, Katara made a deliberate effort to pull herself back and stick to the subject at hand. "Toph is having the baby. She needs me. I'm going and that's the end of the discussion."

Even while he knew it was a futile effort, Aang stepped in front of Katara anyway, blocking her attempt to exit. "Please don't do this," he pleaded, "Stay and talk to me."

"Do you want me to have two dead babies on my conscience, Aang?" Katara demand succinctly. He averted his face with an agonized wince at the brutal inquiry. "Then please step aside."

He reluctantly allowed her to pass then, but the memory of his stricken expression continued to haunt Katara as she hurried down the corridor. She was still struggling to banish the pervasive feelings of shame, guilt and anguish when her grandmother intercepted her on her way out the door.

"Gran, I don't have time for this," Katara said, anticipating Kanna's argument before the older woman even opened her mouth, "Toph is having her baby."

"Then I'm coming with you," Kanna announced stubbornly, "I still know a thing or two about bringing children into the world."

"What about Tenzin? Aren't you supposed to be watching him right now?"

"Your husband has two good arms. Aang is perfectly capable of taking care of his own son, Katara," Kanna replied, "And right now you need me more."

Knowing instinctively that arguing with her recalcitrant grandmother would prove a futile waste of precious time, Katara jerked a consenting nod. "We'll take Ceba," she decided, "He'll be faster." However, regardless of the brief time involved, Katara did not expect for her grandmother to remain silent and Kanna did not disappoint her.

"Are you in any pain?" Kanna pressed solicitously from over the edge of the saddle, "Any nausea? Dizziness?"

Katara bit down on her angry retort. "No," she sighed, "I'm not in pain. No and no."

"Are you bleeding still?"

"Only a little bit. I guess the majority of it was done while I was sleeping."

"Blessing in disguise," Kanna considered quietly.

"If you say so," Katara mumbled, unconvinced.

"Are you running a fever?"

"Oh, for goodness sake's, Gran-Gran!" Katara huffed, throwing up her hands in frustration, "I'm fine."

"You are _not_ 'fine!' Saying it one hundred times won't make it true! You should be at home resting," Kanna advised, "You need to give your body time to recover from this ordeal. You've suffered a shock, Katara."

Katara closed her eyes and her ears against her grandmother's astute words. "I'm not the first woman to ever lose a child," she sighed, "I won't be the last either."

"You're also not the first woman to blame herself needlessly for the loss either," Kanna countered softly.

That perceptive remark hit so closely to Katara's tender and battered heart that she had a difficult time blinking back the tears that welled in her eyes. "I can't think about that now," she mumbled, "I have to concentrate on Toph."

And for the next six hours that was exactly what Katara did. She was secretly grateful that Toph proved to be a less than ideal patient. The belligerent earthbender's constant bellowing, cursing and occasional short-tempered remarks concerning Katara's birthing skills were a welcome distraction from the pain gnawing away in Katara's heart. She put her entire focus into coaching Toph through the birth and encouraging her to breathe while pushing through her contractions. Katara disassociated herself in those moments, not thinking of her own pregnancies at all, but instead deliberately setting Toph and her unborn child as the center of her existence.

But when Katara finally delivered Toph's squalling, newborn daughter into the world, she was horrified to realize that the tears streaming down her cheeks as she placed the infant in her mother's arms were as much for the child that had been lost that night as the one that had just been born. Overwhelmed in that moment and feeling more than a little suffocated, Katara quickly excused herself from the room with distracted instructions to her grandmother to finish up. She rushed outside for much needed air with her breath coming in heavy, painful pants, leaving Kanna behind to deliver Toph's placenta.

Katara had very little idea how long she sat outside on Toph's doorstep, shaking and breathless and hurting all over, but when she felt her grandmother's gnarled fingers tenderly smoothing away the unkempt tendrils of hair that fell across her temple all she could feel was unending relief. She didn't want to be alone. And so, she gratefully turned into Kanna's belly with a gasping sob, clutching her in the same desperate way that she had once as a child. Kanna held her close, stroking Katara's hair with gentle, calming fingers as she wept.

"You don't have to be so strong all the time, Katara," Kanna whispered when Katara's tears began to die down to hiccups, "It's okay to let yourself hurt."

Tensing slightly because Kanna's insight proved to be uncanny and accurate, Katara reared back and decisively whisked away the wetness clinging to her cheeks. "I don't even know why I'm crying."

"Don't you?"

"How could I possibly love a baby I didn't even know I wanted?" she asked in tearful irony, "How does that even make sense?"

"It doesn't have to make sense. Emotions rarely do."

"You know…Aang and I…we did everything we could think of not to get pregnant. We tried to be so, so careful because we knew we weren't ready at all. And yet…"

"And yet?" Kanna encouraged softly.

"I was starting to look forward to having another." Her shoulders started to shake with renewed tears, but Katara pressed her fist to her lips to stifle the sobs that would have bubbled forth. "I hadn't expected that."

"Have you said any of this to Aang?"

"I can't, Gran. I feel so guilty and ashamed. I feel like such a failure! I can't even look at him!"

"It's not your fault."

"Then why does it feel like it?"

Kanna stooped down to take both Katara's hands into her own. "It's not right for you to punish yourself this way, Katara. It's not good. Not for you and not for Aang. He's your husband and he loves you. Let him help you through this. You might be surprised to learn that he's been harboring some of your same feelings on the matter."

Her grandmother's wise words were still echoing in her ears when Katara finally returned home and slipped into her bedroom. She wasn't at all surprised to find Aang still awake. He was walking the length of the room, gently bouncing Tenzin in his arms while lovingly stroking the drowsy infant's back as he whispered a sweet lullaby in the baby's ear. Upon her entrance, however, Aang froze in place. He and Katara met each other's eyes in a wordless stare. She was the first to break the uncomfortable silence between them.

"I didn't expect him to still be awake," she whispered, nodding towards the baby.

"He's just about to drop off," Aang reassured her. But no sooner had he voiced those confident words than Tenzin sought to prove him wrong by jerking his lolling head up from his father's shoulders to peer around the bedroom. "Or…at least he _was_," Aang amended wryly.

"I can take him," Katara offered.

"I've got him." The insistence was needless. The moment Tenzin realized his mother was present he began grunting and squirming in his father's arms to reach for her. "I guess he told me," Aang laughed softly as he passed the baby to Katara. He stroked his index finger over his son's round cheek. "I'm hurt. I thought we were buddies."

Katara cuddled her son, stroking him much the way Aang had before. Tenzin snuggled into her body with a wide, contented yawn. "Hmm…I guess there's nothing like a mother's touch."

"I guess…" Aang murmured. He surveyed his wife and son with a bittersweet smile, his heart aching at the sight of them. "So…how did it go tonight?"

"Toph had a baby girl. She's beautiful, Aang. She's so small and delicate with lots and lots of jet black curls. It made me a little sad that Toph would never see the beautiful child she'd created. She named her Lin."

Aang had to clear his throat several times before he could speak again. "That's good," he managed, "That's great…" His attempts to be enthusiastic, unfortunately, fell flat. It was clear where Aang's concern lay at the moment and it wasn't Toph and her baby. "Are you okay, Katara?"

Katara met his eyes with a tremulous sigh. "No. I'm not."

She hadn't even finished the statement before he was on his feet and wrapping her in his arms. Despite the baby between them, they clung to each other like two lovers on a sinking ship. Aang buried his face in the crook of her throat, his hot tears leaking against her skin while Katara muffled her choked sobs against his bare shoulder. Tenzin mewled in protest between them, prompting each to take and inching step back from each other.

"I wasn't trying to be pushy earlier when I wanted you to stay," Aang told her, "I was worried about you."

"I know you weren't, Aang. It's only…I felt so bad and I…I couldn't talk about it." She peered up at him timidly through the fan of her lashes. "I didn't want to lose that baby. I don't think I really knew that until after I did."

"Me either."

"I guess I wasn't…wasn't expecting it to hurt so much, you know?"

Aang fingered her hair, his throat bobbing spasmodically with unshed tears. "Should we try to have another?" he wondered tentatively, "Do you want to?"

Katara cradled Tenzin closer against her, as if using the baby as a buffer for the pain she felt. "I don't know. Maybe it's too soon to think about that right now. It hurts too much."

"Okay," Aang accepted with a deep sigh. "Well, what can I do?"

"You can hold me tonight," Katara suggested, "Can you do that for me? I really need that, Aang. I need _you_."

Aang tugged her back into his arms and pressed a tender kiss to her forehead before he whispered, "Yeah, I can do that. Whatever you want."

**~End~**


	4. Healing

**Healing**

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Aang asked Katara, regarding her in the full length mirror situated on the back of their bedroom door as she adjusted the collar on his ceremonial robes and solicitously smoothed out nonexistent wrinkles. He twisted at glance back at her. "What if this is too soon, too fast?"

Katara made a face at him. "And what if you worry too much?"

Aang grunted at the mild reprimand in her tone. As far as he was concerned, he had ample and very valid reasons to be worried about her. The last few months had been harrowing for Katara to say the least. Not very long after her miscarriage, Katara had fallen into a deep and lingering depression that had left her irritable and withdrawn. It had proved to be an extremely uncertain time in their marriage, especially so for Aang.

In the very beginning after the loss, Katara's moods had been ridiculously volatile. She would often veer back and forth between anger and tears, indifference and despair. She was up then she was down. She was happy and then she was sad. She was cold and then she was hot. Aang couldn't be sure from one moment to the next which Katara he was going to get. Consequently, he was frequently at a loss as to how to comfort her because no matter what he did or said, it was always wrong. In addition to that, Aang also found himself the unhappy target of her frustration most days. Needless to say that it had not been a happy time.

Of course, in hindsight, Aang could admit that he hadn't reacted in the best way. Despite Kanna's knowledgeable insistence that women who suffered miscarriages sometimes experienced extreme hormonal shifts that affected their dispositions, as the days turned into weeks and the weeks into months, Aang began to take those mercurial rebounds in Katara's mood personally. As a result, when faced with what appeared to be a no-win situation for him, Aang inevitably resorted to the tried and true Airbender tactics: evade and avoid.

He immersed himself in his work and, when not working, his children, but Katara he gave the wide berth altogether. Not surprisingly, his doing so only worsened the tension between them. Katara resented him for the time he spent away from her while conversely resenting him when he was around her as well. It seemed to Aang that he was condemned no matter what he did.

It wasn't very long before the two began to fall into a dangerous cycle of non-communication that threatened to choke, not only their marriage, but the foundation of their friendship as well. For the first time since meeting Katara, Aang began to feel uncertain about their future together. He certainly didn't love her any less. He didn't want her any less. But he had seriously begun to doubt he could make her happy anymore and that was the most painful realization of all.

However, one particular night when Aang finally gave into his despair over the fear that he would lose his wife, matters between him and Katara finally came to a head. He had gone up to the temple rooftop to weep out his misery in solitude when she had come to him. She had knelt before him, her feet bare, her hair unbound and her expression the most vulnerable he had ever seen it…an exact mirror of his own. She had tentatively brushed away his falling tears with the tips of her fingers even as she let hers flow unchecked. And then she had asked in a voice choked with emotion:

"_Am I driving you away?"_

_Aang hadn't expected the question and, consequently, countered with one of his own. "Do you want to drive me away, Katara?"_

_She kissed his hands tenderly, her falling tears meandering through his fingers. "Aang, I need you. I love you. I don't know what's wrong with me."_

_He reached out to stroke her hair. The action was almost seemed like a battle for him; as if touching her physically pained him while at the same time filled him with aching need to never stop touching her. "I love you too, Katara…more than anything," he sighed, "But I don't know what you want anymore."_

"_I want you," she insisted, "I know I haven't been very good at showing it lately, but that is honestly the only thing I know for sure these days."_

_Aang leaned into her then, his forehead resting against hers. "I feel the same."_

"_Then how do we fix what's wrong between us?"_

"_I don't know. I've tried to get close to you, Katara. I've tried to help, but you keep pushing me away."_

"_I…I know that," she whispered mournfully, "I don't know why it happens, I just do. I push you away when all I really want is to pull you close and never let go. I can't explain what's happening to me. Nothing makes sense."_

"_Is that because you're hurting still…you know…about the baby?"_

_Katara jerked a nod. "I've experienced loss before," she considered, "I've felt that pain before and I've dealt with it. I lost my mom and, for a brief time, I lost you. But I've never felt anything like this. There's this hollow place inside of me…like something died and I don't know how to get that part of myself back."_

"_Do you blame me?" Aang asked in an agonized whisper._

_She looked away, whisking away fresh tears as she did. "I don't know."_

"_You don't know?"_

_Katara recoiled a bit at the hurt in his tone. "Aang, you're the Avatar. There is no one in the world more powerful than you. I've seen you do incredible things…things no one, no __**Avatar **__has ever done before you. You restore hope and peace and balance when it almost seems impossible to do so, and yet even with all the cosmic energy in the world at your command you couldn't…"_

"_I couldn't bring our baby back," he concluded for her quietly, "Is that what you're saying?"_

_She hung her head with a miserable sigh. "I know I'm not being fair to you."_

"_But you're being honest, Katara, and that's all I really wanted. For you to be honest with me."_

"_I don't mean to sound so hateful." She dropped her face into her hands, but Aang gently peeled them away, refusing to let her cringe in shame when the shame should be his own. _

"_You don't sound hateful. You sound like a woman who is grieving and, unfortunately, has a husband who has been too selfish and self-involved to give you the patience and understanding you needed to work through your pain. I'm sorry I failed you, Katara."_

"_Don't say that. You didn't fail me, Aang. I haven't been the easiest person to be around lately and I don't blame you for running away. I probably would have too."_

"_No, you wouldn't," he argued, "and that's why you're a better person than me…and that's why I'm so lucky to have you as my wife." _

"_You can say that even after I've been such a pain in the neck lately?"_

"_I'll say that for the rest of my life," he vowed._

_Her mouth curved in a small smile that was tempered with bittersweet uncertainty. "Are we going to be okay now, Aang?" she wondered tremulously._

"_I want us to be."_

"_Good," Katara whispered, leaning up to brush his lips with a tender kiss, "So do I."_

That night had marked the start of Aang and Katara's first steps back towards solidifying their friendship and their marriage. Although there had been a series of fits and stalls, both had been so equally committed to repairing their damaged relationship that progress was certain. Kanna had likened them to two people who had begun climbing on opposite sides of the same mountain. She told them that, while they had begun their journey far apart from each other, as they ascended towards the peak, climbing higher and higher, they also inevitably drew closer together. Aang had not truly appreciated that insightful analogy until he and Katara finally reached that figurative summit as partners, strengthened and renewed.

In gradual stages, the constant fights and angry silences that had permeated their marriage for the past three months were replaced with easy smiles and sweet words of endearment. The wounds finally began to heal, the scars began to fade and Katara and Aang fell in love with each other all over again. After weeks and weeks of anguish, they had found their center once more and rediscovered one another in the process.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Aang pressed again when Katara finally finished fiddling with his collar. He pivoted to face her. "You can call it off. I'm completely okay with you calling it off."

"Why do you keep asking me that?" Katara laughed. "You don't think I can handle a few kids?" She arched a single brow in challenge. "I handled you, Toph and Sokka just fine _and_ when I was just a kid myself."

"Yeah, but multiply me, Toph and Sokka times ten," her husband deadpanned, "Not only are you proposing to watch our children during this council meeting, but Zuko's two kids, Sokka's three boys _and_ Toph's newborn! Just _thinking_ about doing it makes me want to run for the hills."

"So the mighty Avatar can't handle a few screaming children?" Katara needled with a smirk. She tsked him. "How disappointing…and shameful. So very shameful."

Aang refused to be cowed by her ribbing. "You're painfully outnumbered, sweetie. There's no shame in retreat."

"Will you stop it?" Katara giggled, "I'll be fine. Besides, it's not like I'll be on my own. Gran-Gran is here. She can help me."

"That's your backup?" Aang balked incredulously, "Your Gran-Gran? No offense, Katara, but the woman needs a nap after a trip to the kitchen."

Katara emitted a mock gasp of affront and darted out a quick hand to pinch his side. Aang squealed in amusement. "I'm going to tell her you said that!" she threatened.

"I'm being serious, Katara," Aang maintained, despite his affable grin, "I don't want you to be overwhelmed. There's no reason that Mai and Suki can't stay behind and help you hold down the fort. These are _their _kids, you know!"

"And they didn't ask me to do it. I volunteered."

"So un-volunteer."

"_Aang!_" Katara sighed in exasperation, "You know that Mai and Suki need to be present for that meeting. Officially declaring Republic City and the United Republic of Nations an independent state from the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation despite the fact they kind of belong to both nations is a very big deal. Mai is the Firelord's wife and she needs to be at his side. And Suki is a council representative for the Earth Kingdom. Neither of them can blow this off."

Aang had no valid case and he knew it. "I hate it when you're reasonable," he grumbled.

"And I hate it when you worry," she countered archly, "You know that if I run into trouble that I have plenty of air acolytes to help me out…since apparently you believe my Gran-Gran isn't up for the job."

"We don't need to repeat that to her."

"I'll just bet we don't," Katara chuckled wryly.

"Okay…well, how about this," Aang began, abruptly switching tactics, "Why don't you let the acolytes chase the kids around today and you can come into the city with me?" He plucked at his collar proudly. "Good idea, huh?"

Katara favored him with a deadpan expression. "You are so extremely transparent, Airbender."

"I have no idea what you mean," Aang brazened.

"I don't need you to keep an eye on me," Katara told him. "I'm not going to fall apart the second I'm out of your sight, Aang."

"I'm not trying to keep an eye on you." But the denial was weak. He knew it and she knew it.

"Listen to me. I'll be fine," she reassured him, "I'm healing. It's been slow and painful, but I _really_ am starting to heal."

"But what if the children tire you out?"

"Are you kidding? Have you seen your daughter with them? She's already got them all falling in line, even Bumi."

Aang choked out a laugh, unable to dispute that laudable fact. "Yeah, I peeked out into the courtyard a while ago and she had them on their toes." He placed his hands on his hips and flipped his nonexistent ponytail, affecting his best impression of his precocious 11 year old daughter. "Okay, you lily livers, from now on you answer to me," Aang mimicked, "You will do what I say, when I say! You're on Air Temple Island now! My world, my rules!" He chuckled at the picture Kya made in his mind. "She even had Honora shaking."

A snort of laughter bubbled from Katara's lips over that statement and the antics that had preceded it. "Our little Kya is quite the bossy general, isn't she?" she remarked wryly, "She certainly didn't get that from me. I guess we have Toph to thank for that."

"Oh yeah, right. She definitely gets her bossiness from _Toph_." However, the meaningful look he directed at Katara said otherwise.

His rolling sarcasm was met with yet another pinching attempt, but this time Aang was quick enough to dance out of her reach. "Miss me, miss me, now you gotta kiss me," he sang.

Katara lifted her chin with a haughty sniff. "You are such a child!"

"You're just mad because I'm too fast for you."

"Whatever," she volleyed back with a dismissive wave before flouncing over to the bed. "Don't you have people waiting for you in our living room?" she grumbled with a good-natured smile, "Get out of here before you're late for your meeting."

"Fine, I'm leaving, but… I'll miss you."

Her counterfeit scowl softened into a smile. "I'll miss you too," she murmured, "Come over here and kiss me goodbye."

"With pleasure."

Aang eagerly crossed the distance between them and bent forward, intending to drop a quick kiss onto her mouth before he departed. Katara, however, had other plans. The moment his lips made contact with hers, she framed his face in her hands and transformed Aang's brief peck into a long, lingering kiss. Pleasantly surprised and mildly confused, Aang drew back to survey her with a speculative stare. The unspoken invitation was evident in her eyes, dark and swirling and seductive. Although it had been some months since he and Katara had shared any real sexual intimacy, it hadn't been so long that Aang had forgotten how to recognize the signs Katara put out when she wanted him. And she _definitely_ wanted him right then. He swallowed hard and whispered her name.

"Kiss me again," she urged, already curving her fingers around his nape to pull him closer.

With a soft groan of need, Aang did as she asked, dipping his head to kiss her again, longer and deeper this time. Katara whimpered a moan against his mouth, twisting her fingers into the loose material of his tunic, pulling him closer and fitting her eager body to his. They tumbled back into the bed together, frenetically tearing away restrictive clothing and tossing it away in their demanding impatience to be skin to skin, suddenly impervious to the fact that Aang was supposed to be leaving soon or that he had nearly half a dozen people waiting for him in their living room. Their bodies arched and tangled, hands gripping and grasping as they fused their mouths together again and again.

Katara's world was reduced to a single point of pure sensation where nothing else existed beyond Aang's mouth, his touch, the weight of him against her body and the undeniable heat of his naked flesh pressed to hers… But then, without warning, she was abruptly deprived of that heat, left shivering and frustrated with Aang's sudden retreat. Before she could process his intentions, he was twisting out of her arms and sprinting over to their bedroom door. Katara reared up onto her elbows to regard him with a disappointed frown, her unbound hair hopelessly tousled, her lips swollen from his fervid kisses and her torso bare.

"What are you doing?" she demanded.

"What do you think? I'm locking the door," he replied, doing exactly that before pivoting to face her with a feline smile, "We wouldn't want to have any awkward interruptions."

Katara returned his smile. "No, we wouldn't."

"So…" he drawled, almost shy, "You ready to pick up where we left off?"

"Don't you have a council meeting in half an hour?" Katara reminded him, blinking up at him with an expression that was far from innocent. "Zuko won't be pleased. You know how he feels about punctuality."

Aang slowly approached the bed, pushing his trousers down over his lean hips and kicking them away as he did so. "He'll get over it." He climbed into bed, grinning in approval when his wife came readily into his arms, entwining her limbs with his own. "Besides, you know how quick and efficient I can be," he added, stifling her answering giggle with his lips as he pressed her back into the bed, "all I need is five good minutes…"

**~End~**


	5. Mourning

**Mourning**

"Mom! Gran-Gran won't wake up!"

Katara barely managed to process Bumi's urgent statement in between managing her whistling kettle atop the small, cast iron stove in the center of her kitchen, gathering together Appa's usual fare for his massive breakfast and spooning bits of mashed carrots into her 11 month old son's mouth. And, unfortunately, her attention was further diverted when Kya suddenly came bouncing into the kitchen with an armful of random animals. She carefully placed the indiscernible furry bundle down onto the kitchen table, oblivious to her mother's horrified gasp as she scrambled to keep them from scurrying off in different directions.

"Kya, what's all this?" Katara demanded, "Why is there a menagerie in the middle of my kitchen?"

"I'm setting up my hospital," the 11 year old explained matter-of-factly, hoisting each animal skyward as she ticked off their numerous ailments, "This turtleduck has a broken wing and this baby koala sheep has an injured hoof and this poor rabbit-lemur has a sore tail. I'm going to heal them," she finished proudly.

"Well, do you have to do it in here?" Katara asked in exasperation, bending down to calm a wailing Tenzin who became unnerved when the baby koala-sheep eyed him a little too long. "You're scaring your brother."

"Where else can I take them?" Kya whined, "This is the warmest place in the house!"

Easily discerning that he had lost his mother's undivided attention before he'd even gotten a chance to truly capture it, Bumi bounded across the kitchen to tug on her skirt. "Mom!" he cried plaintively, "Did you hear what I just told you?"

"One minute, sweetie," she answered in a harried tone before addressing her errant daughter once more, "Kya, these animals can't stay in here. It's not sanitary. Take them outside!"

"But Mom, I'm a _healer_," Kya stressed meaningfully, "This is what I do…"

"Oh, good grief," Katara groaned in an underbreath.

Bumi tugged on her skirt with renewed vigor. "Hello? _Mom?_ What about me?" he pouted, "I'm trying to tell you something! _Something important_!"

Giving up on Kya for the moment because the little girl was too busy chasing the lemur back and forth across the kitchen, Katara favored her six year old son, who looked impossibly like her brother save for his father's wide, expressive gray eyes, with a distracted glance as she swung a babbling Tenzin up onto her hip. "I'm sorry. What did you say before, sweetie?"

"Weren't you listening to me?" Bumi cried in exasperation, "What does a kid have to do to get some attention in this house!"

Kya, having finally subdued her wayward patient, chose that exact moment to interrupt her brother's lamentation. "Hey, Mom? Do we have any more of those moon peaches that Dad brought from the market yesterday? I wanna give one to Kitsi. I bet she'll love moon peaches just like Momo did."

Bumi eyed the lemur with unconcealed distaste. "I liked Momo better," he remarked to no one in particular.

"You've already named it?" Katara dropped her head forward. "We're not keeping this one, Kya. We're not taking in anymore strays! Absolutely not!"

"But she's so cute," Kya wheedled, presenting the lemur to her mother with a becoming pout, "Look at her. She already loves it here."

"Mom! I've been waiting elevendy thousand years! I really need to tell you something!" Bumi insisted petulantly. He glared at his older sister. "You're supposed to wait your turn, Kya!"

"I'm trying to run a hospital!" Kya retorted, "These are life and death matters. I don't expect you to understand. You're just a little kid."

"But I was here first!"

"No, you weren't!"

"Was to!"

"Was not!"

"Okay, I've had enough! You two are driving me crazy!" Katara huffed, finally pushed to the limits of her patience. "Kya, you need to take your 'hospital' outside and then come right back because I need you to give Appa his breakfast. Bumi, give me a second to get your brother situated and you can tell me this really important thing."

After Kya left the kitchen, loudly complaining that her mother "had no heart," Katara removed her kettle from the stove before situating Tenzin on the floor with a few of his favorite toys. Once she was finished restoring some semblance of order to her kitchen, she reached over to lift Bumi up onto the kitchen table and then took a seat in the chair directly in front of him.

"Alright, you have my full attention," she told him, smiling, "Thank you for being patient. Now what is this 'very important' thing you have to tell me?"

"Gran-Gran promised she'd show me how to skin a possum-rabbit today."

"Oh," Katara chirped, caught somewhere between amusement and exasperation because that statement was his "very important thing." She reached out to pat his hand. "Well, that's nice…I guess."

"I'm going to make a fur hat out of it," Bumi announced proudly. "I've been really excited about it. But when I tried to wake up Gran so we could get started, she wouldn't move. It was like trying to wake up Uncle Sokka only Gran-Gran wasn't snoring," he complained, "I tried and tried, but she won't get up."

"Bumi, what have I told you before about disturbing Gran-Gran when she's trying to rest?"

"Well, I hope you're happy, Mom," Kya pronounced as she came back inside, "I had to turn my poor, injured babies out into the cold, cruel world."

Katara was rolling her eyes over that just as Bumi was finishing up his explanation. "…I just wanted to ask Gran-Gran if she needed an extra blanket," he grumbled with a pout, "She's cold…"

Those two words managed to do what nothing else had…they captured Katara's exclusive attention and put her on instant and high alert. Only then did the implications of what Bumi had been trying to tell her begin to truly sink into her mind. She slowly rose to her feet, her mind already veering to the grimmest possibility.

"Kya, take your brothers outside to the courtyard to play," she said, absently lifting the baby and passing him into her daughter's arms.

"But you just told me to feed Appa," Kya protested.

"Take your brothers outside now!"

The last thing Katara heard as her children shuffled from the kitchen was Kya's muttering complaint about adults and their inability to make up their minds. However, her daughter's irritation with her barely registered with Katara right then. Her sole focus was her grandmother and what bleak reality she would find upon entering the older woman's bedchamber.

But it turned out that Katara didn't even need to enter the room. The instant she stepped into the threshold of her grandmother's door and saw Kanna lying there so still and quiet beneath the blankets, Katara knew that she was dead. Her color had already begun to fade to an ashen gray, the unmistakable pallor of death. It was little wonder that she had been cold when Bumi touched her. It was likely that she had been dead for more than a few hours.

Katara approached the bed on wooden legs, feeling curiously like a little girl again as she knelt down at her grandmother's side. With shaking fingers, she swept up Kanna's wrinkled hand, flinching a bit over how cold and stiff her flesh felt especially when only the day before she had been so warm and soft. "Oh, Gran," Katara wept quietly into her hip, "I'm still navigating unchartered waters here. How am I supposed to do that without you here guiding me?"

Even when she knew it was an absolute impossibility, Katara still found herself holding her breath in anticipation of Kanna's response. But just as she expected there was no response that came. After allowing herself the luxury of her few more tears, Katara finally squared her shoulders in acceptance. "I know you're at peace now, Gran," she whispered, leaning over to brush Kanna's forehead in a farewell kiss, "You're with Mom and Pakku now."

After one last lingering look at her grandmother's still form in order to let the gravity of the situation really sink in, Katara resolutely turned her attention towards the arrangements that needed to be made. First, she wrote a letter to her father in the Southern Water Tribe informing him of his mother's passing. She hated the prospect of relaying such grim news to Hakoda by letter but she didn't want to delay in telling him either. Once that emotional task was completed and she had sent off the correspondence via messenger hawk, Katara then dispatched an air acolyte to Republic City to retrieve Sokka and Aang. After all that was accomplished, she finally ducked outside to check on her children.

They were playing in the courtyard just as she had instructed. Kya amused the boys by bending them up and down a gliding patch of ice around Appa's massive girth and under and between his legs. Kitsi scampered amidst their play; her tail evidently healed by Kya's loving touch. Katara watched with a faint smile as her daughter twirled in the morning sun again and again, the glimmering rays catching the golden brown highlights in her dark, untamed waves. In that moment, she looked so much like Aang, right down to the mischievous smile pulling at the corners of her mouth that Katara physically ached watching her.

Their echoing laughter drifted across the open courtyard to wash over Katara like a balmy spring rain. And in that second, she lost the nerve to tell them. She couldn't do it. Not right then. Not when they were so happy. She couldn't spoil their joy. She couldn't disillusion them. Even if it were only for a few hours, she desperately wanted them to keep their childish innocence just a little bit longer.

She watched them a few moments longer before finally turning towards the house to begin preparations for her grandmother's body. Katara was in the middle of sewing Kanna's burial shroud when Sokka and Aang finally arrived. She quickly set aside the sturdy cloth and went rushing into the living room to meet them.

"What happened?" Sokka demanded.

"Did something happen with the kids?" Aang burst out immediately after, "Your message said that it was urgent and we needed to come home right away!"

"The kids are fine," Katara reassured him before turning her attention towards Sokka. "It's Gran-Gran."

"What about her?" Sokka asked but in a tone of voice that made it clear that he already knew the answer to his question…and he didn't like it.

Still, Katara knew that it was necessary to speak the words aloud even if her brother wasn't particularly keen on hearing them. "Gran-Gran died this morning, Sokka."

The WaterTribe warrior and esteemed councilman sucked in a sharp breath, visibly staggered by the unhappy news. It was a strange moment. He was a towering figure of 35 years, a husband and father and decorated hero and yet, to Katara, he had never seemed more like a lost little boy than he did in that moment. She stepped forward to enfold him in a tender hug.

"I know that it's a shock," she whispered.

He shrugged from her embrace and leaned his weight heavily against a nearby chair. "How did it happen? Was she sick? I just saw her a few nights ago. She seemed fine."

"No, she wasn't sick. Just tired…and old," Katara replied gruffly, "Bumi couldn't get her to wake up this morning. When I went in to check she was already dead."

"Wait…Bumi?" Aang echoed in alarm, "He found her? Is he okay?"

"He didn't know," Katara rushed to assure him, "None of them know. I sent them outside to play because I didn't know what else to tell them."

"I want to see her," Sokka interjected numbly.

Katara nodded. "Sure. Of course."

She led him back to their grandmother's bedroom and then gestured him inside. Sokka paused in the threshold to regard Katara with a grief stricken grimace. "I'd like a few moments with her by myself if that's okay."

"Yeah, it's fine," Katara said, leaning forward to hug him again, "Aang and I will be out in the hall if you need us."

Once the door was firmly shut behind Sokka and they were alone, Aang reached out to tug Katara into him arms. She sank into his embrace with a grateful sigh. "How are you holding up?" he asked her.

"We expected this eventually, right? It's not like we haven't seen her deteriorating this whole time."

"That doesn't mean it can't hurt."

Katara straightened in his arms and then took a step back to compose herself. "I don't know what to tell the kids. Bumi was so excited because she was supposed to help him make a hat."

"We'll tell them the truth."

"It's not that easy, Aang. The only time they've ever truly experienced death was when Momo died. I thought Kya was going to lose it. And we never told them about the baby at all. This is the first time they've lost an actual person who is close to them…someone they love."

Aang chafed her shoulders in reassurance. "We'll tell them, Katara. It will be okay."

At that precise moment, Sokka emerged from the bedroom. Although he appeared to be tearless at first glance, upon closer inspection his red-rimmed eyes attested to the fact that he had been crying. Moved with empathy, Aang and Katara enfolded him in a group hug, something they hadn't done since they were teens. When they finally parted, each one was surreptitiously dabbing away their falling tears.

"Thank you guys for taking such good care of her these last few years," Sokka told his sister and brother-in-law gruffly, "I know that…I know that she really loved being here with your family."

"Your grandmother was a remarkable woman, Sokka," Aang said, "I'm going to miss her a lot."

"Yeah, me too." He turned to Katara then, visibly struggling with self-possession as he did so. "We need to contact Dad and let him know what's happened."

"I already sent him a letter," Katara replied, "I think we should take Gran back to the Southern Water Tribe. She'd want to be laid to rest where Mom, Grandpa and Pakku are."

"I think so as well," Sokka agreed. He heaved a large sigh before casting a sorrowful glance towards Kanna's bedroom. "I guess I should get home and break the news to Suki and the boys."

"Are you sure you're okay to be alone right now?" Aang asked.

"I'll be fine," Sokka insisted, "I need some time to clear my head anyway." He started to head back down the hall, but stopped mid-step. "You know…I knew this day was coming, but I never wanted it to." He staunchly blinked back the fresh tears that welled in his eyes. "I'll be back later tonight and we'll make the arrangements for taking her back home then."

Katara followed him to the front door, watching his retreating form until he disappeared from her view altogether. A second later shelf felt Aang's hands settle against her shoulders. She leaned back into the solid wall of his body with a mournful sigh. "Do you ever wish sometimes that you could go back and relive a day?"

"All the time," he murmured.

"I wish I had gone to check on her earlier," Katara whispered hoarsely, "I wish I had just popped in to see her sometime during the night when I was up tending to Tenzin. How many times did I cross the hall last night? Two? Three? I could have easily peeked in on her. Why didn't I do that, Aang? Maybe I could have prevented this from happening."

"And then maybe it wouldn't have made a difference at all," he countered softly.

"Maybe…" she mumbled.

"Katara, we all have a time and…and this was your grandmother's time."

"I hate it. I still hate it."

"I do too." He knew she was aching right then and he was loathe to bring it up, but he couldn't help but think of Kya and Bumi and imagine the worry and confusion they must be feeling at the moment. "Katara, we need to tell the children. We can't put it off indefinitely."

"I know."

"But you're not ready, are you?"

She tipped a timid glance up at him. "Would you think less of me if I said 'no?'"

"No," he replied with a faint smile. "If it helps to know, I'm not looking forward to telling them either. They loved Kanna. I did too."

"I was watching them play with Appa in the courtyard earlier. I wish I could freeze moments like that. Just this morning they were driving me nuts, but I'd gladly live that moment over and over again if it meant I could have it forever."

"I know what you mean."

"Sometimes growing older seems like a curse and a blessing," Katara sighed, "What can't time stand still? There are times when I wish that we were all still those goofy, adventure seeking kids traveling the world together. I miss the children we used to be so much. But then I look at the children that you and I made together and I'm glad that we grew up, Aang." She snuggled deeper into his arms. "I'm glad we made this life together even though it meant we had to grow older to do it."

"It's the circle of life, Katara. Even though it's sad that your grandmother has passed on from this life and even though there will always be a void in _our_ lives where she used to be, we can still find meaning in her death because she managed to accomplish so many wonderful things while she was alive. And, in the end, she died happy and fulfilled."

"Yeah," Katara agreed, her tears welling anew, "I think she did." She inhaled a deep, restorative breath and then reached down to grasp hold of Aang's hand. "Come on," she urged, tugging him out the door towards the courtyard where their children's laughter still reverberated, "I think I'm ready now."

**~End~**


	6. No Longer the Last

**No Longer the Last**

"Daddy, whatcha doing?"

Aang glanced up from his laborious task of reassembling an airbending training relic hundreds of years old to find the gamin face of his eldest son grinning down at him. Deciding right then to take a break, Aang straightened and reached for his discarded shirt to blot his perspiration soaked brow before grinning right back. "So," he drawled, pulling the little boy into his lap for an exuberant hug, "how did you know that you were _exactly_ the person I wanted to see?"

"I have super mindreading powers," Bumi giggled.

"Those are neat to have," his father praised, "But I gotta know…does your mother know that you're out here, you little ferret?"

"Hmm…maybe," Bumi evaded in a mumble, but it was impossible to miss the flash of guilt that chased its way across his face as he answered. Aang fixed him with a knowing look. "Please don't send me back in there," he pleaded before his father could even issue the edict. "Mom and Kya are giving Kitsi a healing session and I've never been so bored in my life! I'll _die_ if you send me back."

"Well then, Mom can heal you and bring you back to life," Aang teased, "Everybody wins!"

Bumi was not amused. He growled into his father's chest. "Daddy! I'm being for serious!"

Aang had to choke back his laughter. "You're being 'for serious,' are you?"

The six and a half year old nodded vigorously. "I wanna stay out here and help you." And then he sweetened the request by blinking up at his father with a wide-eyed innocence he was sure would get him his way. And he wasn't wrong. As if sensing that his father was wavering, Bumi added with childish sincerity, "Please, please, Daddy. I just wanna be with you."

Bested before the battle had even truly begun, Aang groaned inwardly while Bumi ducked his head to hide his smile. It was a futile gesture though. Bumi had already won the argument and Aang suspected the little boy knew it. It was no secret in their household that Daddy had quite a difficult time resisting cute faces…especially cute faces framed by dark, unruly hair with smiles that that reminded him adorably of his wife.

"Fine," Aang relented, "You can stay." Bumi whooped excitedly. "But," he stressed before the boy could lose himself completely in his victory celebration, "…if there's trouble with your mother over this, I had no part of it." He extended his hand. "Deal?"

The little boy grasped hold of his father's index finger for an enthusiastic handshake. "Deal," he agreed, smile widening.

Knowing very well that he had just been played like a tsungi horn, yet feeling strangely okay with that, Aang returned to his work while Bumi poked around his work site and explored the earthen platform that he had bent from the ground only an hour before. However, it wasn't long before Bumi grew restless and his attention inevitably shifted to something else. He sat down on the edge of the work platform and began tracing his fingers over the graven wood panels his father had neatly stacked there.

He blinked up at Aang curiously. "What are these?"

"They're a special type of gate," Aang explained, "You see these bases?" he went on, pointing towards the pole-like foundations as he explained, "These are stationary. I'll spike this part into the ground. However, at the very top…" He lifted one of the gates upright and gave it a spin. "They've been built on a pivot so that when the wind blows, they'll rotate."

"Wow…" Bumi breathed in awe. But his thunderstruck expression was fleeting. Within moments, he was back to asking more questions. "Why would you wanna build something like that?"

Aang plopped down beside Bumi and reached over to ruffle his hair. "This is an airbender training mechanism. It teaches you how to be a leaf."

Bumi grimaced. "Why would I want to be a leaf?"

"It's mainly a concept," his father clarified patiently, "The true point of the lesson is to learn how to flow with the winds of change when you meet resistance."

"You mean like when you're fighting?"

"Yeah, it's a principle that serves you well in combat…but it's a good thing to know how to do in all aspects of life. When you get married, you'll be glad you learned. Trust me."

Bumi was understandably skeptical about that statement since he was still at the age where he found girls rather unappealing. The thought of actually marrying one of them made him shudder. Consequently, not wanting to dwell on that horrible topic too long, Bumi's fertile mind quickly veered to a more interesting subject. "Have you ever been the leaf?"

"Yep. My first master, Gyatso, taught me how to train with something similar when I first began to master airbending. It was hard in the beginning. I got knocked around a few times."

"Gyatso died when you were little, didn't he? Like Gran-Gran?"

"Yeah, he did."

"Do you miss him?"

Aang nodded solemnly. "I do. All the time."

"I miss Gran-Gran too," Bumi whispered, bowing his head to conceal his welling tears, "Sometimes I still run to her room in the morning because I forget…"

His father gathered him close and pressed a loving kiss to his temple, reassuring Bumi with his touch that there was no reason for him to feel ashamed. "Hey…that's okay. Healing takes time. But you should know that it's okay for you to miss her and it's okay for you to cry when you do."

"Do you cry?" Bumi asked timidly.

"Yeah, sometimes I do. But that's what happens when you love someone so much. The hurt doesn't ever go away completely. So I don't want you to beat yourself up for feeling sad because that's absolutely normal."

Bumi buried his face in his father's chest and nodded. "Okay."

Aang cradled him, waiting patiently for the boy to regain his composure. When he finally did, Aang kissed away the remainder of his tears. "Better now?" he asked.

"Better." However, as Aang started to roll to his feet to resume his work, Bumi launched into another round of questions. "Hey, Daddy…" he began with a thoughtful frown, "how come you're building this thing anyway? You already know how to airbend…and firebend…and waterbend…and earthbend…and spiritben—,"

"Okay, you've made your point," Aang interrupted with an amused chuckle.

"So why are you doing it?" Bumi pressed.

"For you. I was building it for you and your sister. I thought I could teach you both how to use it. You don't have to be an airbender in order to learn the lesson it teaches, but…" he cautioned before Bumi could get too ahead of himself, "…it's doubtful that you'll ever master it, so don't get frustrated with yourself. You have to be an airbender to do that."

Bumi nibbled his lip as he considered whether or not he was okay with that reality. Finally, he smiled. "So you can do it?" Aang nodded. "I want to see that! And then, you can show _me_ how! Maybe I'm an airbender and I just don't know it yet!"

Aang smiled at him, not wanting to shatter his son's illusions by telling him that such ability would have likely manifested itself years before. He dreaded the disappointment that he feared Bumi would feel if he failed to master the mechanism, but he was also strangely filled with pride because Bumi was determined to do it, airbender or not. Then again, Bumi and Kya had always been eager to learn about their father's heritage and adopt certain practices because it was _their_ heritage too. And that was true whether it reflected in bending ability or lack thereof.

As a result, teaching them about the lost Air Nomad culture had become a longstanding tradition in their family. Some of Kya and Bumi's earliest memories were of their father teaching them the sacred history, philosophies and principles of his extinct race. Consequently, both children had learned to pilot gliders and nimbly evade assaults well before their sixth birthdays.

The extraordinary capability they had to squirm out from under any attack was great when the family was sparring or playing together, but it was not so great when it came to holding either of them down for any task they deemed unpleasant. They were quick and slippery. Of course, while their antics tended to amuse Aang, Katara didn't always find them so funny. Still, he couldn't help it. Aang was proud of them. Although Kya and Bumi weren't airbenders in the physical and traditional sense, they both certainly possessed the spirit.

"So how does it work?" Bumi asked.

"Help me finish setting it up and I'll show you when it's done," he promised.

Technically, Aang did most of the work, with Bumi interrupting him with endless questions along the way, which made the progress of setting up the rotating panels very, very slow. Although two hours had passed and the sun was beginning its slow descent over the horizon, Aang managed to accomplish very little. His now shirtless son had managed to delay the project in every conceivable way by barraging his father with every possible subject his fertile mind could dream up. And Aang? He had loved every minute of it.

However, as a result of the stalled progress, Aang was mentally considering delaying his work until the morning when Bumi, yet again, interrupted his musings with a cheerful, "Hey, Daddy?" Aang glanced down at him with a ready smile. "What is it, buddy?"

"How'd you get that scar on your back?"

Aang took a moment to situate the panel in his hands before he answered. "Would you believe me if I told you I was struck by a bolt of lightning?"

Bumi's mouth formed an "o" of surprised before his sensible side reasserted itself and he completely dismissed the possibility. "No, you weren't. You're teasing me, Daddy."

"No, it's true," Aang insisted, "The strike went in through my back and exited out my foot. I still have the scar there too." He gamely lifted the aforementioned foot so Bumi could inspect the evidence for himself. The seven year old was clearly amazed by what he found. Aang had to bite back a smile over his awed expression.

"How did that happen?" Bumi asked in a fascinated whisper, "Did it hurt?"

"I was attacked by the Firelord's daughter. I don't really remember much about the pain until _after_ I woke up. Then yeah, it hurt a lot."

"The Firelord's daughter?" Bumi breathed, gray eyes round like saucers, "Was it while you were fighting the war?"

"It was. I would have died if it weren't for your mom. She saved my life that day. Actually, she's done that more than once."

"So Mom is like your hero?"

Aang couldn't help but chuckle at his simplistic phrasing but, at the same time, he couldn't argue with it. "Yeah…I suppose she is like my hero."

"But you're the Avatar. You're not supposed to have a hero. No one is stronger than you."

"Everyone needs a hero, Bumi, _especially_ the Avatar." The little boy nibbled at his lower his lip once more, seriously pondering the meaning behind his father's sage words even while he couldn't fathom their meaning at all. "When you're older, you'll understand," Aang reassured him. He rolled to his feet then, deciding to take advantage of his son's pensive and altogether rare silence, to resume his task. Of course, no sooner had he bent forward to retrieve another panel and put it into place than Bumi piped, "Hey, Daddy?"

Aang bit back a smile. "Yeah?"

"You've loved Mom a long time, haven't you?"

"Almost from the moment I met her, I guess."

"How old were you when you met?"

"I was twelve and she was fourteen."

"Mom's _older_ than you?" Bumi balked.

Aang swallowed back a bark of laughter over his disbelieving shock. "Well, technically, I'm older than her," he countered wryly, "I _was_ trapped in an iceberg for 100 years, you know."

Bumi regarded him with a suspicious look. "I don't believe you, Daddy. I think you're making up stories again."

Once more, Aang was overtaken with the desire to chuckle. He shrugged, the corners of his mouth pulling in a mischievous smile. "Maybe I am and…maybe I'm not." The little boy growled at him, incurring Aang's amused chuckle. "The point is that I've loved your mother since I was very young. In fact, by the time I was fourteen, I knew I wanted to marry her."

"Well, I'm definitely not going to love a girl when _I'm_ twelve! That's too gross!"

"How about we have this conversation again when you get there?" Aang laughed.

"But I guess it's okay that you feel like that…about Mom, I mean," Bumi considered, weighing his general aversion for girls with his father's unabashed adoration for his mother. "She _is_ really pretty."

Aang's features softened with a besotted smile, both for his son and his wife. "Yeah…she's the prettiest."

And that was how Katara found them a few moments later, standing amid some half-erected contraption she suspected had come from the Southern Air Temple, shirtless and sweaty and having a rather glowing discussion about her beauty. She hoisted her 12 month old son more securely onto her hip and favored father and son with an amused smirk. "And what exactly is going on here?"

Father and son barely had time to formulate their bashful responses before Kya came skipping up behind her mother. "Oh wow…" she breathed when she caught a glimpse of the training mechanism in the distance, "What's that, Dad?" She ran up for a closer look, carefully running her hands down the intricately carved façade of one the erected gates. "These are so cool."

"He's building it for us!" Bumi proclaimed proudly, "Daddy's going to show us how to be the leaf so we can move like airbenders!"

"No way! Dad, really?" He confirmed with a cheerful nod that sent Kya into squeals of glee. "Are we going to meditate and everything?"

"That's always a good place to start," Aang laughed.

While the children burst into exuberant whoops over the prospect of more training, Katara leveled Aang with a suspicious look. "Is this thing going to break my children?" she demanded.

"No! Of course not, sweetie!"

Katara was not convinced. "Right. That's the same thing you said when you taught them how to use a glider and do you remember what happened, Aang? I'll tell you what happened! They kept _falling out of the sky_…that's what happened!"

"Appa was there to catch them. I mean…there was that one time with Bumi, but he bounced. Look at him. He's fine now." That proclamation was somewhat dimmed by the picture of Bumi laughing maniacally while running around in hyperactive circles to escape his sister's water whip. "Well, for the most part," he amended sheepishly.

His wife's warning growl was suddenly drowned out by his daughter's happy prattle. "When are you going to finish it, Dad? When? When? When? Is it going to be tonight? I can help you! I don't mind helping! I'm a great helper!"

"Slow down there," Aang laughed, "I'm not going to get it done tonight." That pronouncement was received with a round of dejected groans. "Sorry, guys. The sun is starting to go down. I'm going to have to start again first thing in the morning." Despite that reassurance there was yet more disgruntled grumbling.

"But…but it's not dark yet," Kya protested, "Can't we work on it just a little while?"

"Kya, you heard your father," Katara enforced firmly before Aang could cave, "It's getting dark, so you'll start again in the morning. Now go inside and help your brother get cleaned up."

"But Mom—," they protested in unison.

"I mean it. Go back into the house and get cleaned up. No more arguments. It will be bedtime soon."

As they shuffled away obediently, clearly unhappy with the turn of events, Katara heard Kya mumble in an underbreath, "They just want to get rid of us so they can have oogies."

"Yeah, oogies," Bumi agreed with a parting scowl.

Their parents watched them disappear into the house with mutual, slightly amused grimaces though the reasons for each one's frown was very different. Once they were alone, Aang leveled Katara with a woeful look. "You're a real killjoy, you know that?"

"And _you_ are a big pushover!" she retorted. However, she spoiled her stern tone by grinning seconds after. "But Kya was right." Katara surveyed him with a deliberate once-over, her dark blue stare lingering on his bare chest. "I _did_ want to have oogies."

She didn't have to wait long for Aang's response. He eagerly cupped the back of her head and brought her closer for the kiss for which she had been fishing. Before he could deepen his exploration of her mouth, however, Tenzin let out a protesting squeal over being sandwiched between them. Aang pulled back with a resounding chuckle, dropping an apologetic kiss to the baby's head. "Sorry about that, buddy. You're always squished in the middle, aren't you?"

Tenzin favored him with a wide, gummy smile which was punctuated by an excited litany of "Dada." Aang laughed and reached out to tweak the baby's button sized nose. "Yeah, I love you too."

"I'm going to take him inside and put him to bed while you straighten up out here," Katara said, "He's had some sniffles today so I'm pretty sure he's worn out."

"Oh no! He's not getting sick, is he?" Aang fretted, already beginning to fuss over the baby before Katara could answer, "That's terrible!"

"Aang, he's not on death's door," she laughed, "It's just a little cold, I think. I gave him an herbal remedy and I think he'll be fine for the night."

"Are you sure?"

"He's fine. Trust me." Katara favored him with a provocative smile. "I'll put him to bed and then, once we have Bumi and Kya settled for the night, maybe you and I can find something to…ah…occupy ourselves."

"Really?" Aang replied, clearly open to the idea. Very, very open.

"Really, _really_."

Aang rolled his lips inward to keep from smiling. "Yeah…I'd definitely like to be _occupied_ with you."

"Killjoy that I am," Katara teased.

"Well, you're not a killjoy when we're…um…occupied. Not in the slightest."

"Good answer," she laughed, rising up on her toes for a quick kiss, "I'll see you in a few."

Just as Aang started to turn aside, however, Tenzin caught them both off guard by letting out an enormous sneeze. The stiff and unexpected jet of wind that blasted Aang in his back was almost strong enough to knock him completely off his feet. As he steadied himself, he found himself transfixed by the sight of the heavy panels on his training apparatus. They were no longer motionless, as they had been moments before, but were now spinning briskly on a current of air. He straightened slowly and pivoted to face Katara with a look of stunned disbelief.

"I didn't do that," he announced, clearly dazed.

"I didn't do it either," Katara countered. They simultaneously turned astonished eyes towards Tenzin, who was gleefully emitting childish peals of laughter over his handiwork. Katara glanced at Aang again, not surprised to discover his shimmering gaze was locked on Tenzin. Hope and trembling expectation illuminated his features like a bright, shining beacon in the dwindling light. "It would appear, Avatar Aang, that your youngest son has been harboring a secret from us."

Aang stumbled forward on shaky legs and reached out to stroke Tenzin's cheek, caught somewhere between laughing over the serendipity and weeping in pure sentimentality. "Yeah, he certainly has, hasn't he?"

"You know what this means now, don't you?"

He lifted his welling eyes to hers. His words were choked with emotion when he spoke. "What's that?"

Katara favored him with a watery smile. "It means that you were wrong. You're not the last airbender after all, Aang. Not anymore."

**~End~**


	7. As Long As I Have You

**As Long As I Have You…**

"I got my menses tonight."

Frowning slightly, Aang placed the book he had been reading facedown in his lap and peered at his wife over the wire brim of his reading spectacles. She was ready for bed, dressed only in her nightgown and a thin blue robe. However, rather than climbing in beside him for a bit of snuggling, Katara continued to brace herself in the doorjamb of their bedroom door, the expression on her face a mixture of disappointment and exasperation. She slumped forward when he didn't react right away, muttering under her breath.

"Um…well, alright," he mumbled as she finally crossed the room and climbed into bed with him, "…thanks for sharing that with me…I guess."

Seemingly oblivious to his sardonic tone, Katara flopped onto her back with a dramatic sigh and contemplated the ceiling. "I don't guess I was expecting it," she murmured almost inaudibly, more to herself than to Aang.

Still, her dear husband reacted as if she had screamed the words directly in his face. "Wait? What? What are you talking about?" he burst out, "Did I miss something? Did you think you were pregnant?"

"No! Yes! Well, I thought it was possible that I could be, but…I'm not."

Aang relaxed back into the pillows with a relieved sigh. "Well…okay then."

He started to reach for his book again when Katara reared upright. "That's it?" she demanded, "That's all you have to say…'well…okay then?'" she concluded in a mock impression of him.

"What else can I say? I'm kind of getting to hear this on the tail end of things. You thought you were pregnant but it turns out you're not. Crisis averted." Unfortunately, it wasn't that simple. Aang's second attempt to resume his reading was thwarted as well.

"It's not 'crisis averted' at all. Aang, don't you realize what this means?" Katara wondered plaintively.

He lifted his shoulders in a noncommittal shrug, foolishly choosing to answer that question rather than treating it rhetorically. "That you'll be super grumpy for the next four days?" he ventured.

"Oh that's great, Aang! Make jokes! Yeah, just do that because it helps so much!" Before Aang could even fully process what was happening or what he had done to tick her off so much, Katara flopped onto her side, punched her pillow once in frustration before fully presenting him with her back.

Aang blinked at the rigid line of her spine in disbelief. "Are you really mad at me right now? But…but what happened? I was only sitting here reading!"

"Just forget it," she mumbled, "I'm tired and I'm crampy and I'm going to sleep."

That laconic response had Aang dropping his head forward with a longsuffering groan. He had been married to her long enough to discern that while her lips said, "I'm tired and I'm crampy and I'm going to sleep," in reality Katara would simply lie awake for hours and stew in her fury. And, if Aang didn't address that fact, he would surely pay for it later. Resigned to his fate, Aang set aside his book and removed his glasses before shifting around to stroke Katara's stiffened back with the tips of his fingers.

"Whatever I did to annoy you, I'm sorry," he whispered. He knew she had softened towards him even before she shifted onto her back to favor him with a small smile. It was evident in the nearly inaudible sigh she expelled with his apology and the subtle draining of tension from her body. "Tell me what's bothering you," he urged her softly.

She seemed to have difficulty meeting his eyes, which alarmed him. It was only then that Aang realized that whatever was bothering Katara had to be something serious. She wasn't generally snappy and, when she was, it was always because she was troubled in some way. As he mentally prepared himself for whatever that something was, Katara finally found the courage to meet his anxious stare. He was a little disheartened to spy the telltale sheen of tears sparkling in her limpid blue gaze.

"Aang? Would you…would you be disappointed if I couldn't have more children?" she asked meekly.

Her query visibly floored him. He blinked at her in speechless shock for a few seconds before he managed, "What…where did that come from?"

"I want to know. Just be honest with me."

"Katara, I don't know why you're asking me this."

"Well…" she began with some hesitancy, "…Tenzin will be four years old in another two months. And Kya's fourteen now with fifteen not too far away and Bumi is almost ten. They're getting older and so are we."

"Is that what's bothering you? That we're getting older?"

"In a way…" she hedged.

"Just say it, Katara."

"Okay…well, ever since we found out that Tenzin was an airbender, I've been wondering if maybe you were thinking about having more children so that you could…so that we could…"

"What? You mean like you and I are supposed to singlehandedly repopulate the world with airbenders? Yeah, let's jump right on that," Aang joked. However, while he chuckled in amusement it didn't escape Aang's attention that Katara didn't laugh at all. In fact, her gaze skittered away guiltily. His mirth faded in an instant. "Katara? You weren't thinking that…were you? You have to know that's completely insane, right?"

She pinned him with an affronted glare full of accusation. "Why is it insane?"

"Katara, the Air Nation was made up of thousands and thousands of airbenders. I was never going to produce enough children to even scratch the surface of that deficit and, honestly, I don't want to try! It's not _my_ responsibility to do that and it's not _your_ responsibility!"

"Aang, I'm not an idiot! I know that we were never going to be able to _singlehandedly_ fill the world with airbenders again," Katara sighed a little impatiently, "That was going to come about as a result of our children and our children's children and their children."

"Of course…"

"But we only have _three_ children and only one of them is an airbender. I don't even know if it's even possible that Kya and Bumi's kids—,"

"—if they even have kids," Aang interrupted.

"_If they have them_," she conceded meaningfully, "…I'm not sure those children will be airbenders or not, so then that responsibility falls squarely on Tenzin's shoulders."

"Katara, I don't want to put that kind of responsibility on him. It's not fair."

"I agree," she said, "Which is why I thought if we had more children…possibly more _airbender_ children…it would take the pressure off of him."

"It's possible, but nothing is guaranteed. We could have a string of non-benders and then what?" When she seemed to reject that argument and began retreating inside herself right before his eyes, Aang gathered her into his arms and held her close, unwilling to let her close off from him emotionally. "Listen to me," he whispered against her temple, "I'm thrilled that Tenzin is an airbender. I'm glad to know that part of my heritage won't die when I do…that I'll be able to pass on the airbending tradition to someone else. But I've never, _ever_ considered the possibility of kick-starting my race again. I've never put that kind of pressure on myself and I don't want to put it on our children either."

"But I saw your face that night, Aang," Katara uttered hoarsely, "That night that we found out Tenzin could bend. You had this look…this look I've never seen before…"

"I was happy."

Katara twisted a haunted look up at him. "It was more than that. You saw your people in Tenzin that night. I know you did. I saw the hope in your eyes. Something changed in you…something really profound and it changed me too."

"Maybe…"

His evasion fell on deaf ears. Katara had been married to him long enough to know how to circumvent the effort he put forth to avoid difficult subjects. "I think part of me has always wanted to give your people back to you. From the moment I realized you were an airbender and I had to tell you that you were the last, I've wanted to take that pain from your eyes. I've wanted to restore what you lost in the war. You gave me back my hope and I wanted to give you back yours."

"And you did that," he insisted, "You gave me a family and a home and more love than I ever imagined, Katara. That's not a small thing."

"But can you honestly tell me that it was enough for you?"

"Yes! I don't look back anymore, Katara. I can't. Because if I were to wish for anything different then I wouldn't be here with you right now. We wouldn't have the life we have together…and I wouldn't trade that for anything."

"Don't say things like that," she muttered hoarsely.

"It's true. Katara, you can't resurrect my people anymore than I can resurrect your mother or Kanna…or the baby we lost. It is what it is."

"But in a way, we can resurrect them, Aang," she argued, "We can bring back your people through the children we have together."

"No, Katara. I don't want that. And if I ever put that kind of pressure on you—,"

"It wasn't you, it was me," she interrupted quickly. "I put the pressure on myself. I don't think it was even something I was truly conscious of doing, but the feelings definitely kicked up with a vengeance after we learned about Tenzin."

"Okay, I can relate to that. I won't say that the thought didn't cross my mind but, it was just a thought. Just a silly fantasy I briefly indulged in because, suddenly, I wasn't the last of my people anymore. It was a reality I never imagined would happen."

"Don't you see, Aang? There's nothing silly about that. There's nothing wrong with missing your people and wanting that connection again. And I wanted to give that to you.

"It's not like I've been consciously trying to get pregnant because I haven't," Katara rushed to explain when he opened his mouth to argue, "But, we also haven't been very careful this last year either."

"No, we haven't."

"And, I'm sure you'll agree that there's been…that we have…well, with the extra time we've had, we…"

"You're trying to say that we've been sexing it up a lot lately?" Aang provided accommodatingly, "Regularly testing the integrity of our mattress springs? Engaging in the naked cardiovascular workout? Doing the do? Does this cover it for you?"

Katara favored him with a travesty of a smile. "So very helpful, Aang."

"I'm naturally a giver."

He bobbed his eyebrows at her lasciviously, making it inordinately clear that he wasn't talking about matters of the heart either. Katara buried her burning face in his chest. "Yeah…so I've noticed. Anyway, the point is," she soldiered on in exasperation, "I figured that pregnancy would happen eventually, since one usually begets the other, but it hasn't. So then I really started thinking about it and now I'm wondering _why_ it hasn't happened when, considering the circumstances, it most definitely should have." She peeked up at Aang. "So what if I can't? What if I'm physically unable to have more children?"

He reacted to that with unconcealed skepticism. "Katara, you're still young. Don't you think that possibility is a little extreme?"

"Not really," Katara mumbled, "I've had a lot of time to think about it and… I know that sometimes women…after they've lost a child…sometimes that changes something in their bodies and then they can't conceive anymore. I didn't see a healer that night…or afterwards either and maybe something went wrong. Maybe I didn't heal properly. I don't know why it happens, Aang, but it _does _happen. And what if it happened to me?"

"What if it did?" Aang countered, "How would you feel about it?"

Katara shrugged a shoulder. "I'm perfectly content to be the mother of three children," she told him, "I have a very full life and I'm extremely happy. But I don't know if that's a selfish way for me to think and feel considering our unique circumstances. I mean, you say it's not our responsibility but we both know that's not entirely true. Don't we have a duty?"

"I honestly don't think we do, Katara. There are things in this world that are bigger than you and bigger than me…bigger than the Avatar even. The universe allowed the Air Nomads to be wiped out and the universe will see to it that the nation is rebuilt somehow. I truly believe that. There will be airbenders again because that's the way it's _supposed_ to be. The avatar cycle cannot exist without them. Life will find a way. It always does."

"Is that really how you feel about it or is that spiritual mumbo jumbo talking right now?"

He laughed at the dry humor in her tone. "A little of both maybe. But seriously…I'm good with three as well."

Katara shifted upright, peering at him doubtfully. "Are you sure you're not just saying that to spare my feelings?" she pressed, "Maybe you're secretly disappointed and you don't want to admit it. Or…or maybe you think I'm defective now or something."

"Yeah, that's it," Aang deadpanned, "I'm going to run out and score myself a dozen or so concubines right away. I wonder if my old fanclub is up for the task." Katara swatted him. "What? Not funny?"

"No," she huffed derisively, "Not even a little."

"Well, neither is all this stuff about you being 'defective!'" Aang countered vehemently, "Katara, since you found me in that iceberg there has been one thing that I have wanted consistently above all else."

"And what's that?" she asked petulantly.

"_You._" She looked at him then, melting with a soft smile over his fervent reply. "It's always been you and it will always be you. Period. If you can't have more children…fine. We'll deal with that. And if you can…fine. We'll deal with that too. But, no matter what happens, as long as you're with me…I'm happy and I have everything I want."

"Hmm…those are some pretty sweet words, Avatar," Katara sighed, snuggling back into his arms, "You really do love me, don't you?"

"And it only took you 22 years to figure it out," he teased.

"Oh shush up and kiss me," she coerced with a crooked smile, "Then after that, you can rub the ache from my tummy."

"As you wish, Sifu." Aang had only just begun to dip his head to fulfill that giggling order when their bedroom door suddenly flung open.

"Mom, Bumi won't stop mak—," Kya froze mid-rant, her irate complaint dangling mid-sentence as she fully assimilated the sight of her parents in bed and tangled in one another's arms. In that brief, appalling second, it was difficult to determine who was more horrified, Aang and Katara or their traumatized teenage daughter. However, Kya's explosive reaction that followed mere beats later firmly determined that it was the latter.

She immediately clapped her hands over her face and bolted down the hallway screaming. "Oh my, _blech_…my eyes! My EYES! Dad, you said you were going to read a book! _What's wrong with you people?_ _I'm blind!_ The oogies!"

Flabbergasted and caught somewhere between annoyance and amusement, Aang turned to regard his equally speechless wife with a wry shake of his head. "So when you asked me earlier if I was disappointed about not having any more kids?" he queried in a thoughtful tone before smothering Katara's answering burst of laughter with his lips, "I can say with absolute conviction that it's a no…not so much."

**~End~**


	8. Special

**Special**

"Mind if I join you?"

Bumi didn't break his meditative trance to answer his father, yet he wasn't surprised when Aang folded down beside him in the lush grass _without_ invitation and mimicked his serene posture. Unfortunately, that was the last thing Bumi wanted. It was extremely difficult to maintain his existence on that peaceful, detached plain when the very reason he had escaped to the outskirts of the island and had been driven to meditate in the first place was _sitting right next to him_. With a low, frustrated growl, the ten year old abruptly gave up his quest for inner peace and surveyed his father with a dour glare.

"Is there something you need, Dad?"

Without opening his eyes, though he could sense the radiating intensity of Bumi's irate glower, Aang chirped, "Good day for meditation, isn't it? You picked an awesome spot too. There's nothing but the wind and the sound of crashing water around you. I like it."

"I'm glad that you find it so tranquil and all that but…I kinda came out all this way to be alone, Dad," he told his father, hoping that Aang would take the hint and leave, "Do you mind?"

However, Bumi already knew the answer to that. His father would have never tracked him all the way out here if his paternal senses weren't already on high alert. Now there would be no shaking him. Matters of the heart were never settled so easily with his father. Bumi dropped his head forward with that unhappy realization.

There was no doubt that Bumi had, indeed, gone to great lengths for a bit of solitude. He had traveled far out to the opposite end of Air Temple Island where there was very little in the way of civilization save for a few stray herds of koala-sheep. Bumi had little more than sporadic patches of grass, craggy cliff sides and misshapen boulders to keep him company. But given his low morale of late, it was just the type of isolation the boy welcomed.

Aang opened his eyes to consider his eldest son in thoughtful silence. "You know, I figured that you probably wanted to be alone when you slipped out the house an hour ago. I had absolutely intended to give you the time alone you wanted, but…" he continued, flicking a glance towards the dipping sun, "It's getting late and your mother was starting to worry."

"I'm not afraid of the dark."

"I know that. But _I'm_ afraid of the dark…specifically what happens to my children when they are out alone in it."

Bumi squinted up at the hazy sky. "Can I stay just a few minutes longer?" he asked, "And then I'll be along. I promise."

"Why do I get the distinct impression that you're blowing me off right now?"

"Dad, please," Bumi groaned from between clenched teeth, "I just want to work it out for myself."

"Are you sure I can't help you with that?" Aang pressed gently, "Whatever it is that's been weighing on your mind lately, it doesn't seem like it's going away, Bumi."

With his father's perceptive assertion, Bumi hung his head yet again and effectively concealed the pain in his eyes beneath his shaggy hair. But Aang didn't need to see his son's face to know he was pain. For that very reason, he had no intention of budging from that spot, no matter how much Bumi might have wished for him to do so. And so, he waited quietly and patiently for the little boy to begin. As if sensing that, Bumi twisted his hands in his lap, clearly reluctant to talk about what was bothering him but also unable to keep it bottled in any longer. Finally, after an interminable silence, he spoke.

"Dad? I…I know that you can take away bending, right?"

"That's right."

Bumi fixed him with a desperate glance. "Well then…could you…could you maybe give it to people too?" His words became almost indistinct as he added in a small, pleading tone, "Could you give it to _me_?"

"Oh, Bumi," Aang groaned sorrowfully, "Is that what this is all about?" Bumi jerked a shameful nod, averting his face in order to keep his tears hidden. "Son, I can't…" he whispered, agonized at the thought of denying his child anything, "That's not the way it works. I can't give something to you that was never there. Bending comes from a spiritual place and it's something that's given to us when we're born."

"So you're saying I'm not spiritual enough," he mumbled unhappily.

Aang gently grasped hold of his chin and brought Bumi's darting gaze back to his face with a gentle smile. "I'm saying that you're a different kind of spirit altogether."

While that was a beautiful sentiment it was also, unfortunately, not the answer that his son was looking for. Bumi shook off his father's hold, averting his face towards the west. "That's okay. I knew it was a stupid thing to ask." However, despite his verbal acceptance, his profile was clearly shattered. "I guess I figured that it wouldn't hurt to do it anyway."

Aang reached out to cup Bumi's cheek, coaxing the boy's watery stare back around to him. "But why did you ask? Why would you want to become a bender at all? Have you been having trouble with someone in school? You've always been very good at taking care of yourself without it, so much so that you even keep your mother and me on our toes. You're a very talented little kid."

Bumi shook off his hold and drew his knees to his chest, almost as if he were trying to fold inside himself. "It's not that. I'm not having trouble in school."

"Is Kya giving you a hard time?"

"Kya is a toadface. I don't expect any better from her."

Aang compressed his lips to keep from laughing over that. "Then what is it?"

"It's…it's stupid. You probably wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

"You wouldn't understand, Dad!" Bumi insisted vehemently.

"How do you know that if you won't even let me try?" Aang reasoned in a mild tone.

"Because you're a bender, that's why!" Bumi cried in a flash of anger. He shot to his feet, fists clenched at his sides as he struggled to control the rampaging emotions bubbling inside of him. "Don't you get it? _You're_ all benders! Mom, you, Kya…even Tenzin! You're all benders and I'm not! You're special and I'm not! You have the spirit and I…don't…"

It was eerily quiet in the wake of Bumi's emotional outburst. Even the crashing sea below seemed to fall into silence as the boy's angry words echoed through the cliff tops above. Aang's first instinct was to yank Bumi into his arms and hug it out, but he knew that wouldn't fix the problem. Plus, in the state Bumi was in, he would likely reject any offer of comfort that Aang made. What his son needed right then was reason, not platitudes or even empathy. With that in mind, Aang chose his next words to Bumi carefully and, when he finally spoke them, they were vehement and emphatic.

"Bumi, you absolutely know that is not true. I've taught you since you were small that a person's connection to the spirit world manifests itself in numerous ways and bending is just _one_ of them. Bending does not make a person special." He reached up to thump the center of Bumi's chest. "It's what's in here. Your mother and I have always stressed that to you."

"I don't know if I believe that anymore," Bumi mumbled.

Aang frowned. "You don't?"

"How can bending not be special? You can do things that nobody else can do! It's easy for you and Mom to say that it doesn't matter because you're both benders! But, it _does_ matter, Dad! I'm the freak in this family! Kya can waterbend and she has Mom as her to train her. And now that Tenzin can airbend, you're training him just like Mom trains Kya. All of you have something in common! But what do I have?"

"…you have _both_ of us, Bumi," Aang finished for him emphatically, "Your mother and I love you very much. We don't have preference for Kya and Tenzin just because they can bend! We love you all deeply and equally!" As Bumi began to dissolve into the tears he could no longer keep damned within, Aang shifted to his feet and drew his son against him, holding him tightly as he cried.

"I just want to be like everyone else," Bumi wept, "I want to be like you! And it's not fair that I'm the only one who's different! It's not!"

"But Bumi, don't you see? You say you want to be special, well… _That_ is exactly what makes you special!"

Bumi turned his tear-stained face up at his father in befuddled surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"You're not like everyone else, not in this family…not on this earth and you never have been. You're a rare mixture of crazy, funny, daring, courage and you lead with your heart," his father praised, "which I sometimes suspect is ten times bigger than your entire body." Despite himself, Bumi snorted a laugh, though he tried hard to conceal it. "You are special for many, many reasons," Aang continually fervidly, "and none of them have to do with bending.

"You are my firstborn son. You are determined and willful and strong but you're not afraid to laugh at yourself and laugh with others. That's a gift. Keep it. Hold on to that ability very tightly because it will serve you well in later years. Always be proud of who you are, Bumi, and never change that for anyone. Believe me, as one 'freak' to another, being like everyone else is highly overrated."

Bumi laughed again but this time his smile lingered. "I guess I've been upset lately because, before we knew Tenzin was a bender, it was always you and me, Dad. But now you're always busy with work or training Tenzin and…well…maybe I was a little jealous of all the time you guys were spending together."

"I never meant to make you feel left out. I'll admit that I have been rather distracted lately. I guess I assumed that you were getting older and hanging with your old man was probably low on your list of things to do."

"That will never happen," Bumi vowed.

"Yeah, we'll see if you're still singing that tune in a few years," Aang laughed, "But, if you really have been missing spending time together, we should plan to do something special, just the two of us."

"We can?"

"Whatever you want to do," Aang promised, "And, as far as Tenzin's training goes, there's no rule that says you can't join us."

"Really? You wouldn't mind?"

"I would love it if you joined us. Who knows? Maybe you can help to loosen Tenzin up a bit. Barely five years old and he's already taking himself way too seriously."

"He _is_ a little uptight, isn't he?"

Aang ruffled his wild shock hair with a measured laugh. "Just a bit."

Bumi took a deep breath and straightened, finally shrugging out from his father's embrace. "Thanks for staying and talking to me, Dad. You were right. I feel better about everything now. I guess I did need to talk it out." He favored Aang with a sheepish look through the tops of his lashes. "I'm sorry I had a meltdown earlier. It was bothering me for a while, I guess."

"That's okay. But try not to hold this stuff inside next time. If you're hurting, come to me. And, if you feel like you can't do that, go to your mother. She's the best listener around. You have to know that you can talk to us about anything, Bumi."

"I know."

"Good. Now let's get back to the house before your mother sends out a search party."

"So…" Bumi drawled as he and his father fell into step together, "…what's for dinner tonight? If we're having stewed sea prunes I might have to get lost in the wilderness for a while." The look on his face was so thoroughly disgusted that Aang couldn't quite suppress his snicker. He had been there and done that.

"Then I'm afraid you're walking in the wrong direction," Aang laughed, "because that is, indeed, what we're having."

Bumi groaned his dismay. "Well…do you think that we could maybe take the long way back to the house then?"

In answer to that, Aang bent forward a swirling gust of air to sweep them up and spin them in a decisive about face. He looped his arm around Bumi's shoulder as they started back in the direction they had just come from. "I might not tell you this often but I gotta say, son, I really like the way you think."

**~End~**


	9. Picnics, Parks and Yakone

**Picnics, Parks and Yakone**

Kya wasn't particularly keen on sparring. There were many other things that she would have preferred to do in her spare time. However, there was no denying that the 15 year old Waterbender was uncommonly good, even when she was being half-hearted. Her greatest asset was, without a doubt, her remarkable agility. She didn't bother counter her mother's relentless waterbending surges, but merely used her bending as a tool to block Katara when necessary. She didn't have to do much more than that. Relying heavily on the maneuvers her father had taught her, Kya gracefully leapt and twirled and catapulted out from under the barrage of Katara's rapid fire attacks, her bounding acrobatics and artful evasion holding her father, uncle and Aunt Suki's rapt attention.

Not situated too far from where the three sat, her youngest brother Tenzin frustrated himself with trying to recreate an airball while her Aunt Toph valiantly fought to hold her only daughter's attention during an all important lesson about "being the rock." Throughout the park there were similar familial scenes playing out, parents and children engaged in various recreational activities together. However, it seemed to Kya that it was only _her family_ who seemed to think bending practice counted as leisure.

In the middle of Kya and Katara's impromptu sparring match, Bumi and his three cousins roughhoused, but the two waterbenders, one master and one student, seemed entirely focused on each other. Kya was only vaguely aware of her Uncle Sokka in the background, egging her on to "make it interesting and take a shot," a prompt for which he received a decisive lash from her mother's curling water whip. Her father and Aunt Suki shared a hearty laugh at his expense.

"Yeah, I suppose I deserved that," Sokka said mournfully.

"Mom, can we please do something else?" Kya begged between somersaults. She made a graceful landing and regarded her mother with a woebegone expression. "Aren't you getting tired? I know I am!"

Katara immediately eased off on her assault and plunked her fists onto her hips, clearly exasperated. "Could you, at least, put a little effort into this, Kya?"

"Why should I? I thought this was supposed to be a nice family picnic in the park," the teen complained, "I thought maybe we'd feed some turtleducks, have a sing-a-long and maybe even watch a few street performers. But nooo. You want to maul me instead."

"Oh, for goodness sake's, Kya."

"Why can't we just sit around and enjoy the smell of sun and earth…feel the clean, afternoon breeze on our faces?" Kya rhapsodized with a hearty inhalation, "Why can't we just…you know…_be_?"

Katara directed a disgruntled sideways glance over towards Aang. "This is completely your doing, you know," she accused him darkly.

Aang threw up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Hey, I'm just sitting here."

Dismissing him with an eye roll, Katara turned her attention back to her daughter, who had unsurprisingly become distracted by the swan geese flocking around the park while she was distracted. "Kya, I don't understand why you don't take this more seriously," she scolded mildly, "These are valuable skills that you might very well need some day. You need to be more disciplined."

"Why do I need to learn how to fight?" Kya challenged, "I want to use my bending to help others, not hurt them. Besides, it's not like we're at war or anything. And, thanks to Dad and Uncle Zuko, Republic City is the most peaceful place to live in the world."

Katara whipped yet another look around at her husband, this one in clear expectation of support. "Aang! Reason with your child!"

His discomfited fidgeting alerted Katara to the fact that she wasn't going to like his response, even long before he began to speak, which prompted her to fix him with a narrowed glare. "I…uh…I don't know, Katara. I kind of see her point in this."

Kya crowed triumphantly. "See? Dad's on my side."

"I don't know why I bother with you two," Katara muttered.

"So does that mean when can finally call it a day?" Kya chirped.

"Kya, sometimes I really don't understand you," her mother lamented with a chagrined shake of her head. "The only time you show the slightest bit of interest in training is if you're doing it with your father…_or_ using it as an excuse to terrorize your little brother."

"That's because Dad makes it fun," Kya tossed back breezily. Katara staunchly ignored Aang's self-satisfied grin in response to that. "And as far as Bumi is concerned…" her daughter added, throwing a sly glance at her brother as he ran past her, "…well, who could possibly resist using that large head of his for target practice?"

"I heard that," Bumi growled, charging her. Having succeeded in provoking him, Kya sprinted out of his reach, her tinkling laughter reverberating throughout the park as Bumi gave chase.

Katara slumped forward with a defeated sigh, realizing the battle she had been waging for an apt pupil in her daughter had been lost. Left with little choice in the matter, she loped across the lush grass to rejoin her husband, brother and sister-in-law under their picnic tree. She plopped down beside Aang with a heavy grunt, her expression sour as she regarded her husband.

"Your daughter is a mess. I blame you."

He couldn't help but laugh at her dire tone. "Oh, she's _my_ daughter now, huh?"

Biting back a responsive grin, Katara snuggled against him, tucking her face into the warm crook of his neck so that she could nuzzle him there. "When she annoys me? Yeah…she's definitely _your_ daughter."

Aang tipped a flustered glance down at her. "I'm not sure whether I should be offended or flattered by that comment."

"Take it however you wish, Master Arrowhead," his wife replied cheekily.

"Well, what exactly did you expect, Katara?" Sokka interjected, "We're not in the training arena. This _is_ supposed to be a family outing not Water Rumble 4."

Katara popped up to level him with a seething glower. "No one asked you, Sokka!"

"Well, he kind of has a point," Suki piped in defense of her husband, though she was a bit timid about doing so.

Her sister-in-law reacted to that with a disappointed mewl as well as a betrayed glare directed at Suki. "What is this? 'Gang up on Katara' day? Toph is training her kid too, you know! Why aren't you guys riding her?"

"Leave Toph out of it," the earthbender called back drolly.

Sokka guffawed. "I always forget how super awesome her hearing is! You rock, Toph!"

"You know it, Sokka!"

"Hey! Don't I get any love?" Katara pouted.

Aang pressed a sound kiss to her temple. "Aww, sweetie. I love you."

Katara favored him with a dopey smile. "Hmm…I love you too."

"Ugh…again with the oogies," Sokka grunted in disgust.

"And because I love you," Aang added carefully when Katara had been disarmed by his sweet avowal, "I'm sure you'll recognize that I'm only trying to help when I say that…maybe Kya wouldn't be so opposed to bending practice if you weren't so…um…pushy about it," he concluded. "Not that your pushiness isn't a lovely and endearing trait, my precious and _forgiving_ wife," he quickly added when she pinned him with a dangerous glower. He had to cough several times before she finally relented in her stare down.

"I was not being pushy," she corrected in a tart tone, "I'm never pushy. I'm a nurturer! I was being _encouraging_."

"Oh, is that what you were doing?" Sokka laughed, "I couldn't tell with all the pushiness going on."

Now it was Sokka's turn to feel the heat of her death glare. "For your information, Sokka, I deliberately chose this venue to engage Kya in a bit of training because I thought it would be a more relaxing environment, thereby making her more open to the idea," she explained, "I figured she would see it more as 'play' than training. It was actually incredibly brilliant on my part. I used to do the same thing to Aang all the time and he never knew the difference."

"Oh, I knew the difference," Aang refuted, "I just wanted to see you in your underwear."

Katara gaped at him in laughing disbelief while Sokka made a production of gagging. He regarded Aang with an unhappy grimace. "That was way more than I needed to know. Thanks so much for sharing."

"_The point is_," Katara stressed, determinedly returning to the subject at hand, "I'm trying to help Kya become stronger with her bending. She'll slack off entirely if we don't stay on top of her about it." She glanced over at Aang. "It might help if you backed me up in this, by the way. I'm sure she'd take it better coming from you since…you know…you're so much more 'fun.'"

"I'd really love to do that, sweetie, but I'm afraid I can't," Aang replied in mock disappointment. He patted his belly. "I'm still full from that delicious meal you prepared for us." He offered her a disarming smile. "Gotta rest and digest, you know, or I might get a debilitating cramp."

"I'd like to give you a debilitating cramp," Katara muttered in an underbreath.

Before Aang could open his mouth to tease her about her frightening propensity towards violence, Suki commented in a thoughtful murmur, "Wow…I can't get over how different Tenzin looks now." Three pairs of eyes followed her line of sight to where Lin was attempting to coax Tenzin into a game of tag. Not far from where they played, Toph leaned against a nearby tree, her mouth curved in a ghosting smile over their childish antics. "It's strange to see him with a cue ball."

"Hey!" Katara protested, reaching up to give her husband's head an affectionate rub, "There's nothing wrong with being a cue ball."

Suki laughed. "I'm not knocking it. I guess I'm going to miss all that shaggy hair he used to have. He was so adorable…not that he isn't anymore," she was quick to add, "It's just…different."

"I'm pretty surprised you did it," Sokka told Aang, "What made you shave it off? I thought you were trying to avoid pushing tradition on him too fast."

"It wasn't Aang's idea to do it," Katara answered, "Tenzin insisted on it. I guess all those stories Aang tells about his childhood growing up at the Southern Air Temple really made an impact on him. So, now he's decided he wants to live as an Air Nomad. Believe me, Aang and I were surprised by how adamant he was about it."

"Well, Tenzin has always been much older than his age," Suki considered, "He's almost like an old man in a little boy's body." She directed a smile over at Aang, unaware of how much her innocent observation disturbed him. "I bet you're really proud of him."

"Actually, I tried to talk him out of it," Aang sighed.

Sokka whipped around to stare at him in disbelief. "You did? Why? I thought that was what you wanted."

"Not right now. He's just a little kid," Aang reasoned, "He has his whole life ahead of him. I don't want him putting so much pressure on himself when he's still so young. There's plenty of time for him to decide what he wants to be in life. He's doesn't have to choose a concrete course right now."

"But he _does_ know what he wants, Aang," Katara insisted. "He's always known…even when he was very small. We have to respect that he knows his own mind."

"I'm not so sure. How much can he possibly know at barely five years old?" Aang mumbled, "He's a baby. It's too early for him to be taking himself so seriously. I'd hate to see him become so focused on the future that he can't even enjoy his childhood. I don't want that for him."

"Tenzin is a good kid," Sokka remarked, "He might be young, but Katara's right. He's always known his own mind. You should appreciate that, Aang. He is _your_ son."

Aang refuted that consideration murmur of adamant disagreement prompting Katara to place a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Aang, this isn't like what happened to you," she reasoned softly, "You have to stop projecting your fears onto Tenzin. You didn't choose to be the Avatar. You were born into the responsibility. But Tenzin is _choosing_ to live as an Air Nomad. It's what he wants for himself."

Aang was still mentally grappling with the idea that Tenzin could truly know what he wanted when he was still so young when Sokka abruptly skirted that weighty subject altogether by exclaiming, "Hey, what's going on over there?"

Suki, Katara and Aang squinted curiously over towards the direction he indicated, each one's countenance beginning to crease with deliberate frowns as they tried to make out what was happening. In the distance, they could clearly make out a constant rebounding barrage of water, fire and earth attacks, as if there were a huge battle going on. But, rather than causing the gathered families to flee in panic and seek immediate shelter, a large crowd, including their own children, had gathered around the melee instead and they all appeared to be…cheering.

Caught between mild alarm and piqued curiosity, Aang slowly rose to his feet. "What is all that?" he breathed.

"Hey, Toph!" Sokka called over to the lounging earthbender, "Do you know what's going on across the park?"

"Really, Sokka?" she growled in exasperation. "I don't understand how, after all this time; it still has yet to sink in for you people! I…am…BLIND! Sheesh!"

"Well, can't you do that whole sonar thing and figure it out?" Suki asked, "It looks like there's some kind of battle going on over there."

Although clearly annoyed with them, Toph readily took a deep breath and fell into her stance, adding flippantly before she stomped the ground, "Just so you know, I'm not the only one who can do this! I'm talking to _you_, Twinkle Toes!" She brought down her foot then and, seconds later, the ground rumbled as she sent out a series of reverberating ripples which gave her a perfect sonic picture of every single vibration shuddering in the park. A moment later, she straightened.

"Well?" Sokka pressed impatiently.

"I don't think it's dangerous. Seems like it's some kind of bending match," she said. "It almost reminds me a little of the Earth Rumbles we used to have back home." She paused for a beat, the corner of her mouth tilting in a crooked smile. "You ladies wanna check it out?"

Aang and Sokka exchanged excited glances before they both responded in unison, "You bet!"

"Wait a second!" Katara cried as her brother rolled to his feet to join Aang and Toph. She regarded Aang in particular a little incredulously. "You're seriously not going to go over there, are you? I thought we were all going to hang out together."

"We're still hanging out," Aang reassured her, "We'll just be…um…hanging over there instead of here."

His lame excuse incurred little more than Katara's eye roll. "Are you kidding me, Aang?"

"I really have to get over there, sweetie. It's a matter of duty," he insisted, "You never know…we could be wrong about this whole thing and there could be people in serious need of our help."

"Yeah, serious need," Sokka piped in.

"As Team Avatar, we have a civic obligation to serve the people of this great city," Aang continued emphatically, "Sokka, Toph and I took an oath. Justice never takes a holiday, Katara."

"You are so full of it," she retorted dryly.

"Come on, you guys, or we're going to miss it," Toph urged impatiently. She paused briefly to issue one, succinct edict before taking off with Aang and Sokka: "You two? Watch my kid."

Suki and Katara stared at their retreating backs in disbelief. "Wow," Suki breathed, half in amusement, half in vexation, "I'm totally married to a 12 year old boy."

"Welcome to my world," Katara wise-cracked.

The two women were still giggling over their private joke when a shadow unexpectedly loomed over them. Startled, Suki and Katara glanced up to discover a tall, distinguished gentleman standing above them, the stern line of his mouth curled in a genial smile. However, despite his seemingly affable appearance and diffident stance, there was something about the man that made Katara's blood turn to ice water in her veins. She shivered.

"Excuse me, ladies," the stranger greeted them smoothly though his eyes were trained on Katara intently as he spoke, "I couldn't help but notice you both from across the park. Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Yakone."

"Well, Yakone, I'm sure you're a very nice fellow and all," Suki replied somewhat wryly, "But the lady you're attempting to pick up right now happens to be the Avatar's _wife_. So you might want to move it along, buddy."

Yakone chuckled in response, humbly ducking his head. Yet, to Katara, the seemingly self-effacing action came off as more predatory than meek. She regarded Yakone with concealed wariness. "My apologies if I've been improper," he said, "I meant no disrespect. I only meant to express my admiration to you personally."

"Your admiration?" Katara echoed with a frown.

"Your reputation as a renowned Waterbender is legendary in Republic City and the world over," Yakone said, "I noticed you sparring with your daughter earlier. It was a privilege and an honor for me to witness your incredible bending firsthand."

"Well…um…thank you," Katara stammered.

"You've also taught your daughter quite well. She's very exceptional," Yakone complimented, "I can't say that I've ever seen a waterbender who moves so much like an airbender before…though I'm sure that's due in part to her mixed heritage. Still, I can't deny that it was remarkable to see her in action today."

"Yes, well, she's hardly the most disciplined student as I'm sure you're well aware."

"So I discerned," Yakone remarked, "I was hoping that I might offer my services to you in that regard."

"Your services?" Suki replied with a frown.

Yakone nodded towards the gathered crowd on the opposite side of the park, just beyond the lake. "_That_ over there is my doing. Just a demonstration of the change I plan to bring to Republic City." He reached inside his jacket to produce a small advertisement and passed the flyer to Katara.

She quickly scanned the contents before directing her confused stare back to Yakone. "Probending?" she asked, "What in the world is probending?"

"My very own brainchild," Yakone explained, "A labor of love years in the making. In essence, I've devised a means for benders of every element to come together as a team and entertain benders and nonbenders alike with their phenomenal skills."

"So you're a fight promoter," Suki surmised dryly.

"I prefer to think of myself as a humanitarian and philanthropist," Yakone corrected. "With the recent escalation of bender on nonbender crime here in our great city, many of our citizens have become disheartened and saddened. The Avatar and our esteemed Chief Bei Fong can only do so much to maintain order. I see probending as a means for the masses to come together in peace and harmony without the distinction of bending to divide them."

"You want to promote peace and harmony by training benders to kick the stuffing out of each other for sport?" Katara asked, "Is that what you're saying?"

"It's not really all that different from what you've been doing with your own children, is it?" Yakone pointed out. "And look," he went on, nodding to where Aang and Sokka were chanting excitedly along with everyone else inside the exuberant throng, "even the Avatar and your own brother both seem to appreciate my methods."

"You can't go by those two at all," Suki snorted, "They're little boys masquerading as grown men. Besides that, Katara doesn't train her children for sport. She's teaching them an important part of their heritage. You, however, seem to want to make a business out of benders pounding each other."

Wanting to bring the conversation to a swift close, Katara immediately cut to the chase. "Is there an exact reason you approached me with this, sir?"

"I'm interested in recruiting your daughter for one of my teams," he said, "Right now probending is still in its infancy, but with benders like your daughter I can put this sport on the map. We could use a skilled waterbender and I can guarantee that her abilities will be honed under my tutelage."

Katara's response to his offer was direct and emphatic. "I'm not interested. Kya is 15 years old! Besides that, it's not something she'd be the least bit interested in! She's not a fighter by nature."

"One's nature can be changed," Yakone averred, "I would like to present my offer to her directly."

"The answer is no," Katara replied, snapping the flyer back into his hand, "I forbid it. Good day to you, Yakone."

The change that came over him then was stark and instant. His eyes flashed with a malevolent gleam before he covered the hatred lurking in their depths behind a cordial smile. Yakone straightened and closed his fist around the flyer, crumpling it in his palm. "I won't say that I'm not disappointed by your refusal, but I respect your feelings on the matter. Thank you for your time," he murmured, bowing before her and renewing the icy tendrils of fear that Katara had felt upon his initial approach. "Good day to you…_Master_ Katara."

"Who was that guy?" Suki wondered, frowning deeply as she watched Yakone stride off in the direction of the cheering crowd.

"I don't know," Katara mumbled absently, her eyes still trained resolutely on Yakone's retreating form, "But there was definitely something about him I didn't like."

**~End~**


	10. Growing Up

**Growing Up…**

"Ugh! Why can't I get this stupid move?"

The blast of air that Tenzin threw off in his tantrum managed to rattle the entire foundation of the house. Frowning, Katara darted out from the kitchen and ducked out to the terrace where she knew her seven and a half year old son was practicing. After briefly scanning the area, the stern admonishment she had at the ready died on her lips when she finally located him. He was partially hidden behind Appa, huddled in a sulking ball of misery. Beside him, the lumbering sky bison did his best to console the weeping child with low, comforting bellows and a few tender nuzzles. For one bizarre second, Katara felt transported back in time because it was a scene that she had witnessed between Aang and Appa countless times when they had been young.

Shaking off her nostalgia and expelling a deep sigh of empathy over his plight, Katara squared her shoulders and crossed the distance between them, only vaguely noting the piles of broken debris that littered her path along the way. After giving Appa a loving pat of gratitude, Katara hunkered down beside her son and drew him against her. However, when she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, the little boy only pressed his face deeper into the tops of his knees.

"Having a bad day?" she ventured gently.

"I don't want to talk about it," Tenzin mumbled, his words muffled and almost indistinguishable.

"I'd rather you talk than destroy my terrace." If she was hoping for a smile, Katara was sorely disappointed. If anything, Tenzin hunched himself into an even smaller ball. Misery rolled off of him in waves. Katara ached for him. She regarded her son with a billowing sigh. "I'm a very good listener, Tenzin," she said, "I can't fix this for you if you don't give me the opportunity."

Tenzin finally lifted his head then to regard her with glistening gray eyes. "I know you are, Mom," he muttered plaintively, "But you can't help me with this. I wish you could fix it, but you can't."

"What makes you so sure?"

The question wasn't necessarily intended to be a challenge, but Tenzin certainly took it as one. In typical airbender fashion, the little boy retreated into himself yet again. He turned aside from his mother altogether, his lower lip trembling with renewed tears. Katara stared mournfully at the line of his rigid back, wanting more than anything to take away his pain while also well aware that Tenzin would likely be reluctant to accept her consolation. He had the type of tenacious personality that compelled him to try and figure out the bulk of his problems on his own. It was a trait that his mother found both admirable…and frustrating.

Katara was forever receiving compliments on her "little man." Most everyone who met Tenzin was impressed by his solid composure and inherent maturity at such a young age. The fact that she'd had some part in shaping that impressive personality filled Katara with unequalled measures of pride. Yet conversely, she wouldn't be completely honest if she didn't admit that she often wished Tenzin would allow himself to be a child sometimes.

As Katara presently lamenting that fact, she found herself staring expectantly at Tenzin's back, secretly hoping that he would choose to accept her comfort after all. However, he was silent for so long that Katara seriously began to doubt he would ever talk about what was bothering him. She slumped forward with a low murmur of defeat. Yet, as she started to excuse herself with a lingering kiss to the top of his head, Tenzin finally confessed in a small, timid tone, "I think I'm failing Dad."

His mother received that admission with relief and groaning dismay. Katara wasn't entirely surprised by his quivering confession but she was saddened to hear the corrosive self-deprecation in his tone nonetheless. Tenzin was, and would likely always be, his own worst critic. While he was probably one of the few people she knew who could consistently look for the good in others, her youngest child could only seem to find fault with himself. If he was fast then he lamented over having not been faster. If he was good then he mentally berated himself for not being _great_. No matter what he achieved or what lofty goals he managed to reach, Tenzin was continually searching for ways to improve.

And such unshakeable drive would have been commended and perhaps even encouraged were it not for the fact that the firm resolve sprang directly from the heart of a seven year old boy. Not even old enough to shave or even care for himself and Tenzin had already given more thought to his future and the responsibilities ahead of him than either of his parents had done when they were twice his age with twice as much responsibility. It was disconcerting to say the least.

Understandably, Katara hated to see her baby put so much undo pressure upon himself. But while she feared the possibility of Tenzin growing up too fast, too soon she knew that Aang positively _agonized_ over it. Tenzin's firm determination to live up to his father's legacy and to keep the traditions of his forefathers was often in direct conflict with Aang's need for him to remain a kid for as long as possible. They both clearly wanted to please one another, but they both also had very distinct and very opposite ideas about exactly how to accomplish their respective goals.

The situation left Katara frustrated because she was, quite often, put in the middle. More than once it had fallen onto her shoulders to make Aang understand that Tenzin's choices were a result of _his_ desires and not some shortcoming on Aang's part as a father. And more than once she had tried to help Tenzin understand that Aang did not want, nor did he expect, Tenzin to somehow compensate for the fact the Air Nomads had been nearly wiped out. Unfortunately, her sage words had mainly fallen upon deaf ears where both of them were concerned.

Matters had only deteriorated since her recent appointment as a White Lotus Society member. Business had been keeping her away from home more and more often. During those absences it was difficult for Katara to referee Aang and Tenzin so that, by the time she returned, all manner of misunderstandings and disagreements would have ensued between them because the two airbenders spent more time avoiding their problems than discussing them. By the time Katara managed to get them both sorted out, individually and with each other, it would be time for her to leave again and then the whole cycle would repeat itself. She was fast approaching the limits of her patience with both of them.

Still, because of her natural instinct to make things better no matter what, Katara couldn't stop herself from putting forth the effort again and again, even when it felt as if she was doing little more than figuratively beating her head against a rock. Aang loved Tenzin immeasurably and Tenzin absolutely adored his father. It wasn't a lack of affection that created the quarrels between the two at all, but the fact that they were irrefutably and irreversibly opposites who reacted to conflict in exactly the same manner. Katara might have chuckled over the pure irony of that fact if it didn't bring with it such heartbreaking consequences.

Shaking off those depressing musings, Katara reached over to give her son's shoulders a reassuring squeeze. "You're not failing your father," she reassured him, "Put that thought out of your mind right now."

"I frustrate him," Tenzin whispered, the words more an intuitive statement than a question, "He's never said anything to me, but I can tell."

"Tenzin, that's not true."

"He likes Bumi better than me."

"Now you're being silly. Where are you getting these ideas? Is Bumi tormenting you again?"

The little boy shook his head, clearly uncomforted by his mother's vehement denials. "No. I've been thinking about it and I came up with this on my own. Either he likes Bumi better than me or…or…he's disappointed with me…with my _airbending_ actually."

"Your airbending?" Katara parroted with a scowl, "Sweetheart, you are a remarkable student! You've already well on your way to mastering several complicated techniques. How can you think your father is disappointed in you?"

"Because he never wants to teach me, that's why!" Tenzin cried in frustration.

The despair that punctuated those seven words snapped Katara to attention and provoked a grunt of surprise from Appa as well. Left flustered and mortified by the uncommon show of temper, Tenzin meekly apologized for his outburst, both to his mother and the bison, and then took a brief moment to recompose himself. Once he had a better handle on his emotions, he spoke again.

"Whenever it comes time for Dad to train me, he always has an excuse about why we shouldn't," Tenzin explained, "It's not about spending time together because he's always willing to do other things with me. We'll play a game of Pai Sho or we'll walk the grounds together or sometimes he, Bumi and I will just fly Appa around Republic City. And I really love doing those things with him.

"But when it comes to actually training," he admitted in a shame-filled voice, "I practically have to _beg_ him to teach me, Mom. It's almost like he'd rather not do it…like it's the last thing he would ever want to do." Tenzin buried his face in his knees once more. "Like he thinks I'm too terrible to learn."

Katara dropped her head into her hand with an inward groan, disheartened but not surprised to realize that Aang's "good intentions" had backfired so wretchedly. "Tenzin, it's not that at all. Trust me on this. Your father's behavior has nothing to do with your abilities as an airbender."

Compelled by the certainty in her words, Tenzin peeked up at his mother surreptitiously. "How do you know?"

Because she was at a loss as to how to summarize the deep seeded fears and emotions that were motivating his father's erratic actions, Katara replied lamely, "Just…trust me when I tell you that it's not what you think."

Tenzin groaned and hid his face again. "Oh, you're just making this up, aren't you? He really _does_ think I'm terrible! You just don't want to tell me because you're afraid to hurt my feelings. I'm a disgrace and an embarrassment."

"No, you're not! Stop saying that!"

He flashed her with a woebegone glare then. "Well, what am I supposed to think? You and Dad are two of the best benders in the whole world! I have a lot to live up to! I'm the Avatar's son and I am one of the only two airbenders in this entire world. I have an obligation to be the very best I can be and I'm already failing!"

"Tenzin, you are being much too hard on yourself. Not even your dad and I were the best in the beginning. We had to work hard too and we failed a lot along the way. You can't expect _not_ to make mistakes. That's foolish thinking."

"You don't understand," he mumbled.

"No, I understand all too well and that's my point. If you don't start easing up on yourself soon, you're going to be one miserable little boy and, all this doom and gloom you keep expecting, will become a self-fulfilling prophecy."

"Yeah, right."

Katara sighed, recognizing that she would be unlikely to get through to him using reason alone. While Tenzin was a serious and analytical little boy, he was still a little boy and, at such a young age, he still tended to think in absolutes. She knew she wouldn't truly get him to grasp the lesson until she provided him with a little real world experience.

"Did I ever tell you that I had difficulty mastering waterbending when I first started?" she asked after some silence.

Tenzin stared up at her in wide-eyed surprise. "You? But you're so good. You helped end the war, Mom."

"Yeah, I did. But I wasn't always so good even with the pressure to train the Avatar on my shoulders. And I definitely wasn't as good with my bending then as you are with your bending now," Katara confided, "In fact, when your dad picked up waterbending before me, I was terribly jealous of him and I actually said some pretty hurtful things."

His gray eyes flared even wider, unable to imagine his kind and compassionate mother being hurtful to the man that all her children knew she obviously adored. "You did?"

"I did," Katara confirmed with a nod, "Granted he was being an annoying show-off at the time, but…it still bothered me that he could get it so easily when I couldn't and it was _my_ natural element! I felt inadequate and inept, especially because _I_ was the one who was supposed to be teaching _him_. It's hard when you fall short of the expectations you set for yourself."

"That's how I feel right now too."

"I told you that I understand better than you think, Tenzin," Katara pointed out softly, "but it won't always be this way. Eventually, with practice and determination, I became stronger and better and so will you. Give yourself the time to do that."

"I guess that makes sense, but…" Tenzin sighed, "…you didn't really have as much riding on you to learn as I do, Mom. Think about it. You weren't the only waterbending instructor that Dad had. You told us that Master Pakku helped to finish his training and yours. But with me? It's different. Besides Dad, I'm all there is. I'm the one who's going to have to carry on the airbending tradition after he's gone. I'm the one who's probably going to have to train the new Avatar. Being good isn't an option for me. I _have_ to be good."

"Okay then," Katara conceded, impressed by his argument but unwilling to say so, "Maybe I can't compare your situation to my own, but I can compare it with your dad's."

"Are you saying that Dad had trouble mastering the elements?"

Katara answered him with a meaningful nod. "Several of them, in fact. Your father had the constant weight of being both the Avatar _and_ the last airbender resting on his shoulders. Sometimes that made him impatient when it came to learning the elements, with himself and with others.

"I want to share something with you. Your dad and I have never told you or your siblings this story because I know that he's deeply ashamed of it. But, I want to tell you because you need to understand that you're not isolated in your feelings," Katara prefaced, "When Daddy was first learning how to firebend, he burned me. It was an accident. He lost control of the flame because he was so eager to learn fire that he impatiently bypassed his master's teaching to do it and…well, I got hurt."

"Oh, Mom…"

"I was able to heal myself later and I don't even have scars from the ordeal, but it took Daddy a long, long time to forgive himself for it," Katara confided, "Even to this day, even after all the time that has passed since it happened, he still doesn't like talking about it."

"Do you think that's why fire is his least favorite element?" Tenzin wondered.

"Could be. It might help if you asked him some time though."

"I'll think about it," Tenzin conceded, still a bit daunted by the prospect of talking to his father when they seemed to disagree on so much. "So what other elements did Dad have a hard time with?"

"I'm sure you won't be very surprised to hear this but…it was earth," Katara revealed, "You know your dad isn't so good with always dealing with conflict head on. Mastering an element as stubborn and unyielding as earth wasn't easy for him. Not to mention the fact he had an earthbending instructor who was just as stubborn and unyielding. And…well…you know how your Aunt Toph can be."

"Loud and mean?" Tenzin ventured with a shiver.

"Yeah. Pretty much. Now, try to imagine her as your earthbending master."

Tenzin grimaced and shuddered. "Poor Dad."

"Now do you understand, Tenzin?" Katara pressed gently, "Your father didn't have an easy road either. He had to push and push himself and all while he was still a little kid because he knew the world was depending on him. But, the whole time we traveled and trained, your father _refused_ to forget that he was a kid. And he didn't let Sokka, Toph and I forget that we were kids either. It seemed like such a small thing at the time but, in hindsight, it was probably one of the best things he did for us."

"Oh," he sighed with dawned understanding, "I think I get it now. You're saying that Dad doesn't want me to forget that I'm a kid and that's why he's always suggesting that we play silly games when I want to train?"

"He's terrified of you reliving his life, Tenzin, and he doesn't want that for you."

"I don't want to make him unhappy, Mom. So what can I do?" Tenzin wondered solemnly.

"Well, for starters, you can loosen up a little. You don't have to push yourself so hard."

"I…I know, but…" he mumbled, "I don't push myself because I believe I _have_ to. I do it because I _want_ to. I know that you and Dad think I'm too young, but I'm almost eight years old and I know what I want. Ever since I was really little Dad has been telling us these awesome stories about what it was like for him growing up at the Southern Air Temple with Gyatso and the other monks. You can tell how much he loved his people by the way he talks about them and…well…when I listened to all those stories; I came to love them too. I might have been born after the war, but…in my heart…I can't help but feel like an Air Nomad, Mom."

"I know you do, sweetie," Katara whispered, pulling him close for a firm hug, "I think I've always known."

Tenzin buried his face against her, finally relaxing his guard enough to return her embrace and lose himself in the solace she provided. "Can you help Dad understand?" he entreated in a muffled tone, "I _need_ him to understand."

"I'll help him understand, Tenzin," she told him, "I promise."

**~To Be Continued~**


	11. And Letting Go

…**And Letting Go**

The broad swords winked and flashed in the glow of the sun like dancing fire beetles.

Careful to keep his presence concealed, Aang signaled Appa to press back deeper into the trees and quietly watched his eldest son train with a mixture of awe, respect and parental worry. Bumi was much too flashy with his weapons in Aang's opinion. He wielded them with expert precision and without the slightest bit of hesitation, in perfect time with his own winding body. Still, every time he made a pass with the swords, sweeping them over and under his body, Aang couldn't help but gasp a little in his heart. He just knew Bumi was going to lose a body part one day.

Yet, in contrast with his father's pervasive fear, Bumi whipped the swords with the same pulsing agility with which he whipped his body, weaving in and out and up and around his arcing sweeps and circular dips in a carefully choreographed dance. However, Aang's breath literally caught in his throat when Bumi catapulted his body forward and, on the downward sweep, smoothly planted the steel blades of his swords into the solid earth. Without ever breaking his hold on the handles, he then used the swords as leverage to gracefully follow through with the flip and reestablish his footing, pulling the swords free as he did so.

Aang stepped out from beyond the copse of trees where he had been concealed with a round of well-deserved applause. Appa followed behind with his own muted bellow of appreciation. Bumi jumped, clearly startled by his father's sudden materialization. "Dad!" he cried, "Where did you come from? How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to see that you're really good with those broad swords."

"Not really," Bumi mumbled somewhat self-deprecatingly, "I still need a bit of practice."

"Well, from what little I've seen, I'm impressed," Aang commended.

"You can thank Uncle Sokka. He's been great about letting me train with him and his boys. When I'm not there, I try to practice as much as I can on my own." He surveyed his father with a pointed look. "Although, I usually prefer train without an audience." His expression clearly said, "Dad, I'm looking at _you_."

To his credit, Aang did make some effort to conceal the extent of his parental hovering. "Well, I wasn't expecting to _be_ an audience," he countered wryly, "Appa and I just happened to be flying overhead when I saw the glint of your swords. I thought I'd come down and check things out."

Bumi smirked, briefing stooped to retrieve his discarded shirt and slip it overhead, before crossing the distance to nuzzle a shaggy Appa. "Hmm…so you just saw the flashing and just _had_ to check it out, right?" he drawled, "Had nothing to do with the fact you know this is my usual training spot and you already knew it was me, huh?"

"Are you trying to imply that I have been spying on you?"

His twelve year old son emitted a small snort of amusement as he gathered together the various weapons he'd used for training. "Not implying it, Dad," Bumi said, "Saying it outright. Seriously, you're worse than Mom and that's saying something. She's convinced I'm going to maim myself one day."

Because that wasn't too far from what Aang believed himself, he reacted to Bumi's charge with a self-conscious cough. "I'm not that bad," he protested lamely, but they both knew that he was. His son's eye roll made that evident. He favored Bumi with a disgruntled scowl. "Can I give you a ride back to the house or is that against the rules too?"

Bumi laughed. "Now I never said anything about wanting to walk."

On the spur of the moment, Aang decided to let Bumi take Appa's reins for a change. He sat down beside his son on the bison's massive head and verbally guided the boy through what he needed to do. "Technically, it's all for show," he explained, "By now, Appa knows the way home, but he still likes to be guided with a steady hand." As Bumi whooped and cheered after taking Appa airborne, unable to conceal his delight over being the one to fly him, Aang took the time to surreptitiously study his eldest son's grinning profile.

Time was marching on with alarming speed. Only one month earlier, Bumi had gone through his latest growth spurt. He was now almost the same height as his older sister, an irrefutable fact that irked Kya greatly. And yet, when Aang looked at him now, so carefree and boyish, his wild hair whipping in the stiff wind, he could still see that same six year old boy who had shadowed his movements wherever he went.

"Dad, you're doing that weird staring thing again," Bumi noted in wisecracking aside, "and it's freaking me out."

"Sorry about that." Aang obligingly fixed his eyes on the horizon with a slow smile. "I was just thinking about how proud I am of you." His son ducked his head with a sheepish blush. "You're a good kid, Bumi."

He appeared genuinely warmed by the commendation. "You think so?"

"Yeah," Aang told him, "Absolutely."

"Well then, perhaps all this parental pride could possibly manifest itself in more monies for Bumi." He flashed his father a becoming grin. "Good idea, huh?"

Aang shook his head, his tone deadpan when he answered, "It's not happening, kid."

"Okay. I accept that. My work ethic could probably do with a bit of polishing, but… How about my own flying bison then? Can I get one of those?"

"Bumi, just fly us home already."

"Don't rush with an answer right this second," Bumi suggested cheekily, "Meditate on it for a few days and get back to me."

When they arrived home a few minutes later, Bumi gamely volunteered to cool down Appa in the hopes that it would facilitate Aang "meditating" in his favor. Aang stared after him as Bumi walked Appa towards the courtyard while carrying on an animated, one-sided conversation with the sky bison about his day. Still shaking his head in amused exasperation of his son, Aang watched until Bumi disappeared from view and then ducked around the back of the house to enter the kitchen side entrance. His plan was to surprise Katara with a soft kiss. He was mildly disappointed, however, to find his daughter hovering near the stovetop instead of his wife.

That disappointment must have been plainly evident in his expression because Kya took one look at him and quipped rather dryly, "Well, hello to you too, Dad. Please, try and curb your enthusiasm over seeing me."

"Sorry about that," he said, pressing a brief kiss to her temple before dropping into a nearby chair, "I wasn't expecting you, is all. Where is everyone?"

"I'm not sure where Bumi is, but the likelihood is that he's running the island grounds like a wild child and probably terrorizing the acolytes. Mom's back in your bedroom doing her mom things and I believe that little Lord Tenzin is out in the dojo meditating." She bent forward with a mock bow. "Have I satisfied all inquiries, my liege?"

"Har, har." However, as his daughter merely laughed off his good natured grumbled, Aang's scowl suddenly deepened into a genuine frown. "Wait! Why is your mom in the back? She doesn't have to leave again, does she?"

The previous six months had marked yet another change in their family's routine. It had been during that time that Katara had been honored with the request to become a member of the White Lotus Society. At first, she had been inclined to refuse, citing all the reasons why she was needed home and had no time for the dedication required in being a lotus. Aang had doggedly convinced her otherwise. Despite her refusal, the interest that had gleamed in her eyes had been impossible to miss. And, of course, he had been excited for her as well.

However, that had been half a year ago and now, after suffering without her company on those occasions when she traveled to distant parts of the world for Lotus business, there were times when Aang lamented having been so encouraging. Then again, he also couldn't ignore how Katara seemed reinvigorated by the new responsibility. For many years, Katara had primarily identified herself as wife, mother and healer. She had always been content with that too, but Aang had always suspected that she yearned for more. He knew that, in her heart, Katara would always, _always_ be a fighter and becoming a Lotus allowed her to quench her fighting spirit while also maintaining her identity as wife, mother and healer. His lady did it all and Aang couldn't help but be proud of her.

For that reason, Aang made a concerted effort to stamp down the petulance he sometimes felt over her absences. In the early years of their marriage, Katara had been more than patient with him and his extended trips away from home. Aang realized, with an inward sigh, that it was now _his_ turn to repay the favor.

"I don't think she's going anywhere," Kya answered him, abruptly shaking him from his internal monologue, "She said that she needed to talk to you about something important when you came home and she asked me to make dinner."

"Something important, huh?" he considered aloud thoughtfully. Kya confirmed with a nod. "You think I'm in trouble?" he wondered.

Kya shrugged before turning back towards to the stove. "Knowing you, Dad, it's a definite possibility."

"Great."

In no real hurry to subject himself to the unabridged "Katara lecture," Aang deliberately turned his attention to the leather bound book lying on the kitchen table in a stall for time. "So you're studying history, huh?" he remarked to his daughter as she diligently stirred her pot on the stove.

The teenager bit back a smirk, wholly aware of what her father was doing. "We're studying about the Harmony Restoration now," she told him, "and how it eventually led to the formation of our great Republic City."

"Is that a direct quote?" Aang laughed.

"More or less," Kya replied, "Though I will say that if I have to read you being referred to as 'mighty Avatar Aang' one more time I might have to run screaming from the room."

"Why is that?" her father demanded with some affront. He puffed out his chest with a little pout. "I'm mighty."

"No, you're not," Kya snorted, "You're my _dad_! My weird, goofy and slightly maddened father! I don't think of you that way at all."

"Well, what about this…Alignak person?" he wondered, spying the name drawn in the margins of Kya's history books and decorated with surrounding hearts. He turned the book in his hands for closer inspection before lifting his head to meet his daughter's mortified eyes with a broad, self-satisfied grin. "Do you think _he's_ mighty?"

"Dad!" A furious blush heated Kya's cheeks as she rushed forward to snatch the book from his hand. Once she liberated it from his hands, she cradled it protectively against her bosom. "I can't believe you!" she huffed indignantly, "You drive me crazy!"

"What? It was right there. What was I supposed to do? You have it scrawled in big, broad letters all over the page. Alignak," he recited aloud, "Alignak and Kya. Kya and Alignak of the Northern Water Tribe." Hissing her displeasure, Kya stabbed her father with one final glare before scrambling across the kitchen to tuck her history book safely into her school bag. "So who is he?" Aang pressed when it seemed his daughter had taken it into her head to pretend he was invisible.

Kya petulantly sautéed her pan of vegetables. "He's nobody, Dad…just a friend from the city."

"Do you draw hearts around _all_ your friends' names or is he just special?" Aang teased.

"_Dad!_" Kya whined in lamentation, "Don't you need to go get chewed out by Mom or something?"

"Okay, okay, I'm going," he laughed, scraping back from the table. "I'm just saying that if you wanted to bring your _friend_ by for dinner sometime…" he paused to favor her with an affectionate smile, "…I'd be okay with that."

The irritation drained from Kya's pretty features instantly, leaving her vulnerable and unsure…not unlike a little girl. "Really, Dad?"

"If he's important to you then I want to meet him, Kya."

"Okay. Great! Maybe I'll think about asking him."

"Good! I look forward to getting to know him better," he tossed out jovially as he exited.

The gravity of that parting shot wiped out Kya's burgeoning smile in an instant. Belatedly recalling that this was _her dad_, a man with a penchant for unpredictable behavior, that she was talking about; Kya dropped her face forward into her hands with a mournful groan. "Good grief, what have I done?"

Meanwhile, her father tiptoed down the hallway towards his bedroom and prepared himself to receive a tongue-lashing for some as yet unnamed wrong. He tapped a light knock on the door before poking his head inside. Katara perked up to greet him with a disarming smile. "Kya said you were looking for me," he said.

"Yeah, I thought we could talk," she explained as he slipped inside and shut the door. She fixed him with a puzzled frown. "Why did you knock just now?"

"I thought it would be safer that way." He crossed over to the bed and flopped across the mattress with a heavy grunt of defeat. "So…what did I do now?"

Katara surprised him by chuckling at the question and then climbing into bed with him. She folded her arms over his chest and rested her chin atop her stacked hands to regard him with a heavy lidded stare. "What makes you think that you're in trouble?"

He lifted his eyebrow in surprise. "I'm not?"

"You tell me. Have you done anything that I should know about?"

Aang tapped his chin thoughtfully in consideration. "Nope," he determined at last, "I've been a very good boy lately."

Katara giggled over how proudly he made that pronouncement. "Then rest easy."

Intrigued by the realization that she did not want to ream him out after all, Aang shifted onto his side to face her, dragging his hand over the rounded curve of her hip in a lazy caress as he did. "Sooo…" he drawled, leaning forward to nip several biting kissing along the delicate line of Katara's jaw, "…if you didn't call me back here to yell at me then whatever…" he pressed a kiss to the base of her throat, "…did you…" he dragged his lips lower still, "…call me back for…?"

With a laughing eye roll, Katara playfully shoved him away before he could meander his way down to her breast. "Aang!" she cried with a guffaw when he began easing her tunic up. She rolled away from him. "Aang, no! It's the middle of the day!"

He reached for her again, undaunted by the warning. "So what?"

She swatted at his questing hands with a menacing growl. "So I don't want to risk one of our children barging in here and interrupting. I think that would be traumatizing for us all."

Aang flopped onto his back with a melodramatic groan. "Can't we just send them away for a few days," he lamented when Katara rolled from the bed entirely, "I can't take these long stretches of abstinence, Katara. It's torture!"

"It's been _eight_ days," Katara retorted matter-of-factly.

He swung upright with an unhappy grumble. "It's still torture." After he quickly ducked out from under his wife's flying moccasin, Aang righted himself and surveyed Katara with a dour expression. "Alright, since it's obviously your intention to continue this cruel and, might I add, inhuman sexual deprivation, what do you want with me?"

"Hey, I was perfectly willing and able last night if you recall," she reminded him tartly, "Which one of us fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, hmm?"

"I wasn't asleep," Aang sniffed, "I was thinking with my eyes closed."

"Okay, we're getting totally sidetracked here," Katara said, catching herself mid-grin, "You and I need to have a serious discussion."

Aang sat up straighter, his teasing demeanor dissolved in an instant. "What's wrong, Katara?"

"It's about Tenzin. He and I had a very interesting talk this afternoon."

"What about?"

"About you," she clarified somewhat sharply, "Most specifically about how you've been refusing to train him!"

"I…I haven't been refusing to train him!" Aang blustered.

Katara's eyebrows practically shot to her hairline. "Oh no?"

"I'm not refusing him!" he insisted, "I'm…I'm…I'm postponing things for a while. That's all."

"Now where have I heard _that_ line before," Katara wondered sardonically, her tone flat.

Aang speared an accusing finger in her direction. "Aha! You _did_ call me back here for a lecture!"

"Don't try and turn this back around on me, Aang! This is about you and how you are dealing with your son!"

"Okay, fine," he huffed, giving up the verbal battle without a fight, "But you know if I indulged him then Tenzin would train day and night. That's not healthy."

"You're right. He would and it's not," Katara agreed. However, Aang knew better than to expect it to be that easy…and he was right. "But…" his wife added in a meaningful tone, "…that is what makes _him_ happy. And this is supposed to be about _Tenzin's_ happiness, isn't it?"

"Don't look at me that way," Aang muttered, "You know that I only have his best interests at heart."

"I know you do," she acknowledged with an emphatic sigh, "That's what makes this so hard because…well, because you're making him miserable, Aang!"

"I'm doing what?" he exclaimed.

"He thought that you didn't want to train him because you found him lacking as a student. I found him outside in tears earlier."

Twisted inside at the idea that he had reduced his youngest child to tears, Aang started to earnestly refute that charge when something suddenly dawned on him. "Wait a minute," he prefaced in a hopeful tone, "Did you say 'thought?' As in, _past tense_?"

"I explained the reason why you've been so reluctant to train him."

"And he understood?"

Katara nodded. "He seemed to be in a better place after we talked."

Aang's relief leaked from his lungs in a shaky breath. "Good. I'm glad that's settled."

"It most certainly is not settled!" Katara retorted, "Just because Tenzin understands your motivations and even excuses your behavior based on that knowledge, it doesn't mean that what you're doing to him is right, Aang…because it isn't."

"I'm his father. It's my job to act in his best interests, Katara."

"But it's not your job to manage his spirituality!" The intense charge stunned him into silence. He blinked at Katara in speechless dismay. "That's exactly what you're doing, you know?" she continued in a decidedly softer tone, "You're trying to manage something for him that cannot and should not be managed. You should know that better than anyone. After all, you're the one who taught me."

It took several seconds for Aang to regain his power of speech and, once he did, his words were stilted and broken. "That's not what I'm…I don't…" He closed his eyes and released a frustrated breath. "I'm trying to teach him balance, Katara."

"But what if the way you're teaching the lesson isn't balanced?" she countered softly, "Then what happens?"

"I'm doing the best I can," Aang mumbled, "Tenzin needs relax more. He _needs_ to be a kid."

"Tenzin has never been a kid, Aang," Katara argued, "This is the same little boy who has always sat on the sidelines and watched his siblings play rather than joining in with them. He was born an old soul, far wiser than his years…and far more serious as well. And I think that's the problem.

"You can't relate to that, Aang," she sighed, "The very idea is unnatural to you. But you have to accept that it's _not_ unnatural for Tenzin. The two of you have different personalities and the sooner you learn to appreciate that fact, the happier you both will be."

"I know that," Aang conceded gruffly, "and I really am trying, Katara. But it's so strange with him. He's always so serious and focused, nothing like Kya and Bumi were at his age. I don't know how to connect with him, Katara."

Moved with pity and understanding at the regretful sorrow she heard in his tone, Katara resumed her vacated spot beside him and swept up his hand. She pressed a kiss to the back of it. "I think all parents hope to see themselves in their children," she considered softly, "But sometimes that isn't the case. Look at me and Kya. I say right and she says left. I say it's good and she says it's bad. We hardly ever agree, but that doesn't stop us from spending the majority of our time together. Because, even though her little quirks drive me crazy, I _like_ that she has them and I'm glad that she does."

Aang surveyed her with a woeful sideways glance. "So what should I do?"

"You can connect with Tenzin through the very thing you've been trying to avoid, sweetie…your spirituality."

When Aang quietly entered the meditation dojo ten minutes later, he did not disturb Tenzin's concentration by announcing his presence. Rather, he folded himself down into the lotus position directly beside his son to begin meditating as well. An indeterminate amount of silence passed between them before Tenzin finally opened his eyes and exhaled a shaky sigh.

"You spoke to Mom, didn't you?" he asked almost hesitantly. His father confirmed that with a small nod. Tenzin sighed yet again and dropped his gaze. "And?" he prompted.

"I owe you an apology."

The little boy did a double-take. "What? You do?"

"This is _your_ spiritual journey, Tenzin. I forgot that somewhere along the way. I don't get to decide what path you take to enlightenment. Someone very wise reminded me of that today."

Tenzin blinked at him, visibly dazed by his father's calm acceptance. Not that Aang had ever been an unreasonable man or unduly harsh for that matter. In fact, he was extremely mild-mannered and had always been open to variant ways of thinking. Still, Tenzin has feared disappointing him nonetheless.

"So you're not mad at me?" Tenzin surmised with some surprise.

"I've never been angry with you, Tenzin. I've been worried," he sighed.

"Because you think I might be growing up too fast, right?"

"Yeah, I do." Aang favored him with an affectionate, askance smile. "I know you like to think of yourself as a monk in training but when I look at you, I still see a little boy. I see _my_ little boy and I want to protect you, even if that means protecting you from yourself."

"But how can loving the Air Nomad culture be a bad thing, Dad?" Tenzin charged, "It's a part of me. It's a part of _you_. Why shouldn't I want to dedicate myself to living as my ancestors did?"

"I'm not saying you shouldn't," Aang argued, "but that is only one part of you, Tenzin. You are much, much more than a descendant of the Air Nation, more than a child of the Southern Water Tribe…more than the son of the Avatar. You are your own unique person and you're special because of what is in here," he went on, tapping lightly against Tenzin's thumping heart, "Above all else, I want you to discover who _Tenzin_ is first…before you commit yourself to anything or anyone else."

"You want me to remember how to be a kid?"

"I want you to remember how to laugh and smile and play. I want you to remember that there is a time and a season for everything. The first step towards gaining true wisdom is recognizing that fact."

"You're saying I need to be more balanced," Tenzin concluded sagely.

"That would be a good place to start," his father advised, "And, in the meantime, I'll do my part to loosen the reins a bit. I promise to come up with a more regimented training schedule for you and I promise to stick to it."

"You will?"

"I should have done it a long time ago," Aang said, "You have the potential to become a formidable airbender someday, Tenzin. I'm sorry if I stifled your pursuit of that goal in any way."

"You didn't do that, Dad. You didn't want to let me down…just like I don't want to let you down."

"You could never do that," Aang vowed. "But have I done that? Have I let _you_ down?"

In answer to that, Tenzin abruptly pitched himself forward and flung his arms about his father's waist in tight embrace, burying his heated face in the lean wall of Aang's chest. "I love you, Dad," he mumbled in a suffocated little voice, "I want to make you proud of me."

"You already do, Tenzin," Aang whispered, gently stroking his son's shaven head as he spoke, "every day of your life."

**~End~**


	12. Seems Like Old Times

**Seems Like Old Times…**

Katara slipped inside the dojo and carefully crept up behind her meditating husband. After twenty-five years together, she had earned the right to interrupt him occasionally. She also suspected that, for this particular instance, Aang wouldn't mind her intrusion all that much.

The instant she slipped her arms around his shoulders, he anchored her hands to his chest and leaned back into her warmth with a grateful sigh. Katara smiled against his temple before dipping her head lower to whisper against his ear rather mischievously, "Hey…guess what?"

Aang couldn't quite suppress his amused chuckle over how girlish she sounded. He turned a laughing look towards her. "What?"

"You and I are officially, totally, 100% _alone_ right now." Her enthusiasm over that was rather infectious and it wasn't long before both she and Aang were giggling together over the serendipity.

That bit of alone time had been slow in coming. For weeks, Aang and Katara had been on conflicting schedules with his Avatar duties pulling him in one direction and her responsibilities as a Lotus taking her in the complete opposite. On the altogether too rare occasions when business brought them together, it was usually a disappointing reality of "all work and no play." By the time they were truly able to come together again on a personal level priority was then given to the children who, unfortunately, suffered days missing one or both of their parents. Consequently, that hadn't afforded Aang and Katara with much time to connect with each other on an individual level.

Although the couple did their best to work with what they had been given, it became readily obvious to their family and friends that the enforced distance between the two was making them both miserable. At that point, they decided to step in and assist the struggling lovers. Arrangements were quickly made and that very morning all had been set into motion.

While Bumi and Tenzin would accompany their uncle, cousins and grandfather on a week-long fishing trip in the South Pole, though admittedly Tenzin would do more _watching_ than fishing, Kya would travel to the Fire Nation and spend the week with Zuko and his family. That would leave Aang and Katara, save for a small family of sky bison, one neurotic lemur and a temple full of air acolytes, blissfully alone. They were relatively free of parental responsibility for the first time in nearly eighteen years and…they had absolutely no idea what to do with themselves.

After spending those first few hours following their children's blessed departure tangled together in bed, rediscovering each other in the most intimate ways and then again later on in the shower, Katara had ducked out to feed their animals while Aang had slipped into the dojo for some brief meditation. Inevitably, however, his mind kept wandering back to his wife, which was the reason that he was so readily receptive when she embraced him from behind. He dropped a kiss to her forearm before bucking convention altogether to drag her into his lap. Katara squealed with childish delight.

"So…" he drawled against her lips, "…we have roughly 160 hours left of uninterrupted time together." He nuzzled a kiss across her mouth. "Whatever should we do now?" Katara reached down between them to pluck deliberately at the waistband of his trousers. Aang captured her questing fingers and trapped them between his hand and bare chest before burying his answering laugh into the crook of her neck. "There's plenty of time for more of that later."

Katara pouted. "Why later?"

"Because there's a whole world of possibilities out there just waiting for us to discover them," Aang said.

His impudent wife arched a single brow in challenge. "Oh yeah? Possibilities like what?"

"We could see a show," Aang suggested on the spur, "Or we could have dinner together in the city. Or we could lounge around the house in our undies and play Pai Sho."

"Whoa now, don't get too crazy there, Avatar," Katara teased him.

Aang ducked his head with a sheepish smile. "Sorry. I'm out of practice. It's been a long time since I had this much freedom. I'm a little overwhelmed."

"I know what you mean," Katara sighed, "I keep expecting one of the kids to come crashing through the door at any second. It's a little unnerving."

"Do you think they'll be okay?"

Katara shrugged, hoping to cover her own uncertainty over the matter. "They're with family. They'll be fine, though I'm not sure how much fun Tenzin will have on that trip."

"Yeah, he didn't look all that enthused before they left," Aang agreed. However, he spoiled the seemingly sympathetic response by added rather flippantly a second later, "Eh, he'll live."

His wife smothered her giggle into his bare shoulder. "Never let it be said that you aren't full of compassion and understanding."

She was surprised a moment later when Aang gently cupped her cheek and guided her eyes back up to his face which was, indeed, softened with compassion and understanding. "Are _you_ okay?"

"What are you asking me? You want to know if I miss them?" When he nodded, Katara began to fidget. "Would you think less of me if I said that I did…just a little bit?"

"Not at all. I miss them too…just a little bit."

"Well, that's it then!" Katara declared suddenly, rearing upright in his lap with a surge of renewed determination, "The missing stops now. This is our time, Aang, and we are going to enjoy every minute of it."

"Katara, we still haven't decided what we're going to do with _our_ time," her husband reminded her cheekily.

"Why do we have to decide anything?" Katara wondered capriciously, "We don't have anywhere to be or any immediate responsibilities looming. Why don't we just take Appa and fly…see what we find and where we end up?"

Aang's eyes flared wide with surprise at the suggestion. "You mean no plan or destination? You just want to pick up and go then see where we land?"

Katara deflated a little. "You think it's foolish, don't you?"

"Nope," Aang replied with a slow smile spreading across his face, "Actually, I was thinking that it took you long enough to ask."

They packed light for the trip, with little more than a sleeping bag, some camping utensils, some food for travel and the clothes on their backs. However, as Aang began loading their supplies into Appa's saddle, Katara's more sensible side began to reassert itself and she found herself suddenly doubting the feasibility of their little adventure. "Aang, are you sure this is a good idea?" she fretted when he stretched forward his hand to assist her onto Appa.

Half frowning, half laughing at the question, Aang straightened. "Sweetie, this was _your_ idea," he reminded her in a mild tone.

Katara nibbled her lip in uncertainty. "You don't think it's crazy to take off without a plan like this?"

The face Aang made in response to that was riddled with irony. "Katara, really? This is _me_ you're asking here. Come on!"

"Right," she mumbled.

Aang leaned over the edge of the saddle to peer at her speculatively. "Are you having second thoughts about doing this? Have you changed your mind?"

After a lengthy stretch of silence in consideration of that, Katara finally shook her head. "They aren't second thoughts per se," she explained, "I think I'm a little nervous, that's all. We haven't done anything like this since we were kids, Aang."

Smiling, Aang climbed from the saddle onto Appa's head and then reached out for her hand again. "Katara," he laughed as he pulled her up beside him, "we still _are_ kids."

That outlandish declaration left Katara smirking in amusement. "Since when is 39 considered a kid?" she challenged archly.

Aang leaned down to brush a lingering kiss across her smiling mouth. "Since whenever I look at you and all I see is the fourteen year old girl who found me in an iceberg all those years ago."

Katara felt a rich blush warm her cheeks with his words. "Why do you always do that?" she muttered a little self-consciously, suddenly having difficulty meeting his intense gray stare.

"Do what?"

"Say things that make me love you even more than I already do. It's annoying."

He emitted a little snort of laughter at her disgruntled tone. "I can't help it if it's true, Katara."

"Yeah, whatever," she grumbled, but she was smiling…and he knew it.

"So, you ready to go?"

She took a deep breath before nodding. "I'm ready." As they settled down together onto Appa's massive head, chuckling together when the mighty bison seemed to bay in delight over it, Aang swept up the reins in preparation for departure. At the precise moment he did so, Katara was assailed with the image of him as a twelve year old boy doing the exact same thing. She smiled at him, overcome with nostalgia and love for him. "Just like old times, isn't it?" she murmured.

Aang smiled back at her, feeling wistful as well. "Exactly like old times." He flicked Appa's reins then, an action that he had performed countless times over countless years and yet in that particular moment when he said, "Appa, yip yip!" it felt distinctly to Aang like coming home.

They decided to fly deep into the Earth Kingdom, just south of Republic City. Along the trip, they regaled each other with funny work tales and irreverent impressions of people who annoyed them…and a few impersonations of some who didn't. It was heartening for Aang and Katara to discover that, despite the decades of familiarity between them, they still _liked_ one another immensely as individuals, even more so than they had when they were only teens.

The bond between them went well beyond the children they shared, was far more substantial than the sexual attraction between them and even eclipsed their everlasting marital union. At the foundation of all of those things was their unshakeable friendship. That fact was as irrefutable now as it had been 25 years prior…and it always would be.

Aang was in the middle of a spot on impression of Toph as Republic City's no-nonsense chief of police when his antics were abruptly interrupted by the loud grumbling of Katara's stomach. He stopped mid-sentence, his grin at the ready. "Er…was that me or you?"

"Me," Katara confirmed rather sheepishly, "I guess I'm a little hungry."

"A little?" Aang guffawed, "Sounds like you've got a family full of polar-bear dogs living in there!"

Katara shoved at him playfully with an offended huff. "Will you just land us already so I can eat?" As if on cue, her stomach groaned again, as if voicing its agreement.

While Aang wisely bit back his answering smile, he couldn't quite resist saying, "The wish of your belly is my command." As expected, he received another shove for his trouble.

A few moments later Aang landed them in a picturesque clearing, situated at the base of a looming mountain chain and surrounded on all sides by a thick forest of trees. Even before Katara's stomach had begun its ominous rumbling Aang had fixed it in his mind that he would land there. When they had still been some distance away he had been intrigued by the tips of the jagged mountains peeking up from the gossamer clouds of mid-day and encircled with a light, swirling fog. He felt strangely drawn to the spot even while he didn't completely understand why.

Once they had landed, Aang and Katara quickly set to work unloading their meager supplies from Appa and went to work preparing the noon day meal together. Afterwards, while they ate, they idly discussed the possibility of bunking down that spot for the night before resuming their destination-less journey again in the morning. Lulled by their breathtaking surroundings, Katara was more than game to the idea.

"Though I can't say that I'm looking forward to sleeping on the cold, hard ground tonight," she confessed.

"I don't know…" Aang considered as he stretched out onto the ground to rest his head in her lap, "…I've kind of missed it."

Katara smirked down at him. "You would."

Aang shifted around to face her, his lips curved in a half smile and his eyes half-mast in a languid stare. He traced his fingers lightly over her collarbone. "So…what should we do now?" The question was superfluous. His expression and touch made it abundantly clear what he wanted.

With a giggle lodged in her throat, Katara struggled to keep her eyes open as his hand drifted lower. But it was difficult to ignore the alluring tingles of sensation he created when he cupped her breast and then leaned forward to nuzzle it through the thin material of her tunic. Katara bit down on the urge to moan. But then Aang was pushing aside her tunic altogether to seek out warm, bare flesh and Katara couldn't resist gasping a little. "Hmm…so that's what's on your mind, is it?"

She felt his smile widen against her skin as he gradually began exposing more of it. "It is."

"Well, in that case…" she drawled breathily, quickly rolling out from beneath him before he could anticipate her intention. She bounced to her feet, struggling not to laugh at Aang's dumbfounded expression. "…looks like you're going to have to catch me first."

Katara dashed off into the cluster of trees beyond their camp. That left Aang, after shaking off his speechless amazement, with no other option except to chase after her. They darted in and out the endless rows of trees in a childish game of hide and seek, their laughter echoing through the tree branches in between impromptu waterbending battles, giggling tickle fights and hot, searching kisses. It wasn't very long before Katara found herself wedged between Aang's body and the sturdy trunk of a very old tree, her upper body exposed in the shadowy afternoon light while her husband avidly explored every inch of it with his mouth.

They separated only long enough for Aang to remove his shirt and toss it aside before they came crashing back together for a breathless kiss. Aang was biting his way across her bare shoulder, desperately trying to devise a way to remove her leggings without breaking contact with her body when a familiar sound suddenly penetrated Katara's muddled senses and distracted her altogether. She tensed and gave Aang's shoulders a light shove.

"Shh! Aang! Aang?" she gasped, "Do you hear that?" He responded to that with little more than an uncaring, "uh-hmm," before attempting to seal his eager mouth to hers again. "No, I'm being serious," she laughed. Katara smooshed his face between her hands to thwart further kisses. "Can you focus, please?" While Aang was still trying to absorb her shocking turn from hot to…not hot, Katara unwound her slender legs from around his waist, much to his everlasting disappointment, and began pulling her undergarments and tunic back into place. She stumbled a few steps deeper into the forest. "Stay quiet for a second and listen."

Realizing then that their sexual interlude was over before it had even really begun; Aang blew out a heavy sigh in sheer frustration and grudgingly stooped down to retrieve his shirt. After slipping it over his head, he obediently, albeit half-heartedly, did as Katara bid him. He stood absolutely still and perked his ears, listening.

"Do you hear it?" she asked with an eager smile.

"Hear what?" he muttered impatiently. "The birds? The wind? All the blood in my body pounding in my—,"

"Listen, Aang!" she urged again, her smile spreading, "I think I can hear water!"

"Oh well, if it's _water_…" Aang drawled sarcastically, "No wonder you're so excited because it's not like you see it _every day_ or anything!"

Katara patted his bearded cheek with an impish smile. "Stop being so grumpy," she scolded with a kiss, "I know that sound. I think it might be a waterfall. I haven't seen one of those in years!"

Somewhat intrigued by the idea, though he wouldn't dare admit that to her especially when he was still aching with unfulfilled desire, Aang dutifully listened again. Over the white noise of the surrounding forest, the distinct sound of rushing water could be detected. "Sounds like a lot of water," he agreed.

"I'll bet I'm right! I bet it _is_ a waterfall!" Katara exclaimed, "Let's go check it out!"

"But, _Katara_…I thought we were gonna…you know…" Aang reminded Katara in hanging protest as she snagged him by the hand and began dragging him off.

Katara flashed a grin back at him from over her shoulder, deliberately turning his words from that morning back onto to him. "Plenty of time for that later, remember?"

"You're cruel," Aang told her. "You're a cruel, cruel woman."

She was still laughing about that a few minutes later when their search brought them out on the other side of the forest and finally came to an end. Only then did Aang's petulant complaints die on his lips. Situated less than 300 hundred feet ahead of them was, perhaps, the most magnificent waterfall that Aang and Katara had ever seen. The waves crashed down over the cliffs with blinding force, creating a cacophony of billowing foam and spraying mist before finally converging into the tranquil waters of a clear and pristine river.

As Katara and Aang crept closer, they both held their breath, transfixed by the way the water seemed to glisten luminously in the afternoon sun, sparkling like the polished surface of a diamond. The couple crept gingerly along the lush, verdant banks, dumbfounded to discover that the river was just as translucent up close as it had seemed at a distance. It was possible to see, not only the darting sea life beneath the undulating waters, but also the immaculate riverbed as well. As if not adorned with enough beauty, Aang and Katara also noted that on the opposite side of the shore, a delicate row of deep, pink orchids bloomed in abandon. There was no denying that the entire scene was…pristine, perfect and definitely worth discovery.

Katara favored Aang with a knowing, sideways smile. "You can thank me any time now, sweetie."

He pressed a chastened kiss to her temple. "Thank you, Katara."

Grin widening, Katara turned back to survey the water with an awestruck breath. "It looks almost too perfect to swim in, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, it does," Aang agreed, "Especially naked."

He and Katara exchanged provocative glances. "And we probably shouldn't even _think_ about making love in there, should we?" she went on.

"I suppose you have a point…" He tossed her a playful smile. "…but we're going to do it anyway, aren't we?"

"Oh, without a doubt."

Unfortunately, however, before the couple could even begin tearing out of their clothing, a bloodcurdling cry for help abruptly shattered the tranquility of their private paradise. Their fun instantly forgotten, Aang and Katara sprinted swiftly in the direction of the reverberating screams. As they raced along the riverbank neither of them registered the strange, ethereal glow beginning to spread itself across the river surface nor did they notice that the waves had become black and choppy. None of that pierced their awareness until they burst upon a macabre scene that could only be described as a parent's worst nightmare.

A lone woman struggled on the riverbanks, weeping and hysterical, as she fought like a rabid tigerdillo to keep her small son from being pulled beneath the inky waves. While she clung to her son's torso, her arms hooked beneath his armpits like anchors for leverage, the bottom half of his body looked as if it had been submerged in tar. The water seemed to strangely have a mind of its own, as if it were a living entity. It held a grip on the boy, almost clinging to his body in a way, as if it were trying to swallow him whole… The mother too was also in the river's grip. As if the battle to save her son weren't enough, she was also fighting to keep herself from going under as well. Even at a distance, Katara and Aang could easily make out the watery web that crisscrossed her back like a sinister, decrepit claw.

In her desperate search for help, she threw a darting glance around her and landed on a stunned Aang and Katara. "Please…please, it won't let go," she panted, "help us!"

Though only a few milliseconds had passed since Aang and Katara arrived on the scene, they recognized that to the mother and her frightened child it must have seemed like eons of time. Immediately shaking off their daze, Aang and Katara took the most obvious course and combined their waterbending efforts in an attempt to subdue the blackened water and loosen its grip on its victims. While Aang focused his attention on freeing the little boy from the river's sticky death grip, Katara went to work at dissolving the banding tendrils of water that had encircled the mother.

The river's resistance was immediate. Snaking coils of water shot out from the surface to lash at the couple with punishing intensity. The more energy they expended bending the water, the more energy the water seemed to absorb…almost as if it was turning their bending assault back on them. In the crashing melee of violent water and pitching waves, the mother and child managed to momentarily break free. As they did, Aang and Katara scrambled out from beneath the river's stabbing assault in opposite directions. With the ground made soft and marshy beneath their feet, Aang and Katara each bent themselves up onto platforms of water to ride out varying assaults of murky waves of water. They worked alternately to thwart the river's attempt to reclaim its victims while continually warding off its renewed attacks.

In a dizzying swirl of water, Katara and Aang pitched and flowed with each wave, bending in tandem to somehow create a swathe of dry earth so that the frantic family of two could run to safety. However, as soon as they had, Katara was abruptly thrown airborne and the river swelled again. Watery tentacles quickly snagged hold of the boy and laid him flat in a pounding crash of water. Frantic and acutely aware of dwindling time, Katara caught herself on the downswing in a cradle of water and began pursuing the retreating wave at breakneck speed.

"Aang!" she cried as she yanked back her arms in an effort to snatch the child back from the river's hold, "The water can't be doing this by itself! There has to be another bender here! You have to find him and stop him!"

Recognizing that he had no time to delay, Aang swiftly bent out a dry patch of earth, closed his eyes and stomped his foot flat against the rough surface of earth. The rumbling effect created a radiating sonar view of the surrounding area but Aang could detect no on in the immediate vicinity. He made that discovery only mere seconds before Katara lost her tug of war battle with the surging water and the boy was, at last, dragged kicking and screaming beneath its glowing, churning depths.

A scream of pure horror ripped from Katara's throat mingling with the keening cry of the child's grieving mother. And, in that second, Katara's strong motherly instincts compelled her to do the only thing left that she could do. Without even consciously making up her mind to do so, Katara sprinted past his hysterical mother and dove headfirst into the water after the boy.

And then it was Aang's turn to scream. The sound ripped from his chest, snatched from a place of deep-seeded anguish. "Katara! NO!"

Aang raced to the shoreline with blinding speed, but by the time he reached the water's edge it was already too late. Already the glow on the surface had begun to recede as the waters gradually cleared from a murky black to pristine clarity once more. But, most significantly, neither Katara nor the boy was anywhere to be seen.

"No, no, no, no…" Aang prayed in a broken litany, unaware that he was sobbing until the sound echoed in his ears.

In that moment, Aang didn't think. He dove beneath the surface, bending out a pocket of air for himself so that he could search every possible surface of that riverbed for his wife. He went as deep as he could, as far as he could, as often as he could, again and again, but each expedition proved fruitless. And still Aang kept searching, unable to stop…unwilling to do so, even as his hope of ever seeing Katara again died a little more each time he broke the surface without her.

**~To Be Continued~**


	13. And Old Fears

**A/N: Sorry this took so long. Real life blows right now. **

* * *

…**And Old Fears**

Aang had to be dreaming.

Nothing else could possibly make sense. It _had_ to be true. He was asleep and locked in the throes of a nightmare or else he was dead. This could _not_ be his reality. Because no one could endure the gut-wrenching agony he felt right then and still live.

As the world closed in on him with suffocating alacrity, Aang could only vaguely register the approaching shouts and thundering footfalls in the distance. The echoing beats of the swiftly approaching crowd were no more real to him than the woman who wept uncontrollably alongside him. Seconds later the group was surrounding the woman on all sides, their manner full of anxious care, their concerned voices blending in an indistinct crescendo as they tried to piece together from her sobbing account just what had occurred. Aang could hear their cautious speculation over his identity, but he didn't acknowledge their whispered questions at all.

He didn't blink as the woman was embraced and ushered away from the river by her presumed family. Instead, he remained on his knees at the river's edge, still wet and shivering, staring blindly into the water and struggling to breathe. While from somewhere behind him the woman's tearful account of the transpired events echoed in his echo, the words seem to come at Aang from a faraway place on the periphery of his consciousness. He felt oddly detached. In truth, Aang was overwhelmed with anguish right then and the only pain he could feel was his own.

The immediate future looked bleak and desolate. He didn't know what he would tell Sokka and Hakoda. He didn't know what he would tell his children. His dazed mind couldn't even process the grim reality that his wife was gone. It was impossible for Aang to fathom how Katara had been in his arms, _in his bed_, just that very morning only to be irretrievably lost to him by the late afternoon.

Nothing made sense. It felt as if time had slowed to a crawl. Even the air felt weighted and heavy. His heart was still beating, but inside he felt dead.

As a result, Aang didn't know how long he sat there, numb and locked in stunned disbelief until he felt a hand come to rest carefully on his shoulder and he realized that more than a few minutes had passed. For one heart-stopping second, his heart bloomed with the wild hope that it was Katara, but when he whipped around Aang was met with shattering disappointment. He slumped forward and regarded the stranger who had touched him with vacant eyes, saying nothing. Aang wasn't sure there was anything he _could_ say.

"I know this is a difficult time for you," the man began in a respectful and gruff tone, "But we…my fellow townspeople and I…we couldn't help but notice your tattoos and we were wondering if…well, we were thinking that you might be the Avatar." Aang didn't answer right away, partially because the man's words sound garbled to him in his befuddled state of mind and partially because, in that particular second, he couldn't bring himself to care. "Are you?" the stranger pressed anxiously, "Are you the Avatar?"

The man must have read the gloomy traces of apathy in Aang's haunted stare because he burst out mere seconds later, "You _must_ be the Avatar! Please say something. You're the only hope we have!"

Aang almost wanted to scoff at the idea. How could he possibly be anyone's hope when all of _his_ hope was gone? He stared up at the man as if he were speaking a foreign language, but that did not deter the man's pleading in the slightest.

"I am begging you," the man pleaded, falling to his knees beside Aang, "I know that you are in pain, but…there is no one else! Please, please…we need your help!"

Somehow that insistent, desperate plea managed to penetrate the fog in Aang's brain. The reminder that he was still the hope for the free world was enough to shake him up from the pit of apathy…at least a little. With some considerable effort then, Aang unglued his tongue from the roof of his mouth and forced himself to speak. It wasn't surprising that his first words escaped him as little more than a hoarse croak.

"You need my help? For what? How am I supposed to help you?" At that very moment, it was inconceivable to Aang that he could help. He hadn't been able to help Katara and he certainly couldn't help himself. If he was the man's sole hope then they would all be in trouble.

"It's Jiang Lan," the man whispered, eyes flared wide with a fervid gleam, "You can calm her. Nothing we've done has managed to appease her until now. You're probably the only one who can."

"I don't know who you're talking about," Aang said.

However, the man plowed onward as if he hadn't spoken at all. "At first, we feared that our message would not reach you in time, but the spirits have heard us and you're here now. We know that you will fix things."

Aang squinted at him in confusion. "A message? What message? I haven't received any message. I've been traveling with my wife since this morning and we stopped here for a break…" He trailed off into mournful silence, recalling how he had been inexplicably drawn to that area…almost as if it had been calling to him. Aang wondered now if it had been. In hindsight, however, he was deeply regretting his decision to answer.

"It doesn't matter whether you received the message or not," the stranger told him, "You're here and now we will have some relief. If anyone can end this nightmare that has been plaguing us, it's you, Avatar Aang. The river spirit has to listen to you! She must!"

With that, Aang's brows snapped together in a lucid frown. "The river spirit?" he echoed, becoming sharper and clearer with each ticking second. "Are you telling me that a spirit did all of this?"

The stranger cast a cautious glance towards the water, as if bracing himself for imminent attack, before nodding vigorously. Relief washed over Aang with the admission and for the first time in what felt like an eternity he felt hope flare to life in his heart. That's when he entertained the first real possibility that he hadn't lost Katara after all. With the acquisition of this new information, Aang realized it was possible that she was somehow trapped in the spirit world and now she was waiting for him to come for her. He surged to his feet.

"Tell me what happened here!" Aang pressed the man urgently, "Why would a river spirit attack a little boy?"

The man slid yet another fearful glance towards the river. "I will tell you," he promised, "But first, please, we should move away from the water's edge. It's too dangerous."

"Just tell me what's happening!" Aang reiterated fiercely, though he yielded to the man's urging to move away from the riverbank, "Does this river spirit have my wife? Does it have the little boy? What have you people done to upset it?"

"Nothing!" a woman from behind blazed tearfully. Aang whirled around to face her, recognizing her as the distraught mother who had lost her son. "We have done nothing to anger Jiang Lan, Avatar Aang, I promise you. And yet, for reasons unknown to us, she terrorizes us in the most unspeakable ways!" As she broke down to weeping once more, several women came to flank her with murmured words of comfort.

"We can't come to gather water," a man from the ground interjected.

"We can't fish," another added.

"We can't even bathe," yet another elaborated, "Anyone who dares to come to the water is never seen again."

"I don't understand," Aang said, "Who are you people? When did all this start and why is it happening to you?"

"My name is Gen," the stranger from earlier explained, "The boy who was taken this afternoon was my nephew Quan. My sister Meili is his mother. They are the latest victims in a series of horrifying events that have been plaguing our small town for three days now."

"Three days?" Aang parroted in disbelief. He pointed towards the river. "_That_ has been happening for three days? Why didn't you send for help before now?"

"As soon as we realized that we had somehow angered Jiang Lan, we sent for you," Gen said.

"I feel as if there's something you're not telling me, Gen," Aang sighed impatiently, "You say you sent for me and now I'm here, but I can't change anything if I don't know what's happening and why."

"Our river is very special…sacred," Gen explained, "The waters have the ability to cure all sickness and restore health…to increase longevity. It has been a well kept secret in our township for hundreds of years. Our legend says that the river's power comes from the pink orchids that eternally bloom along the bank. They were cultivated in the spirit world and then planted here in the mortal world as a gift from the river spirit Jiang Lan.

"Three days ago a man named Jingwei fell ill with a mysterious sickness. He was wracked with fever and unable to keep any food down. He was dying," Gen continued, "And so, we did as we have done countless times in the past, we brought him down to the river so that he could be cured. But something went terribly wrong."

"When we placed Jingwei in the water," Meili spoke up in a thread-bare whisper, "It turned black. That had never happened before. Suddenly, the water became thick and sluggish and illuminated with a strange glow. We ran…and the water pulled Jingwei under. And ever since then, anyone who has ventured too close to the river's edge has suffered the same fate."

Aang regarded Meili incredulously. "Do you mean to tell me that you _knew_ the water was dangerous? Then what were you and your son doing out here in the first place?" Though he made a concerted effort to keep his tone free from accusation and anger, Aang couldn't completely banish his irritation with the woman, especially when he considered that all this mayhem, particularly Katara's disappearance, could have been avoided.

Apparently Meili felt the same because she lowered her eyes in guilty shame, unable to hold Aang's critical glare. "My husband is sick, Avatar Aang…he's dying," she confessed gruffly, "I was desperate…my son was desperate… We thought perhaps that we could bring gifts to appease Jiang Lan…that she would let us take just a bit of the water, but…" She licked at the fresh tears gathering in the corners of her mouth. "It was foolish…" she choked, "_We_ were foolish."

Immediately, Aang regretted his harsh tone with her. He released a contrite sigh and reached out to touch her shoulder briefly. "I'm sorry," he mumbled, "I haven't been fair. This is a difficult situation for all of us. Your son was taken from you today and I should have more compassion for your pain."

Meili offered him a small, wavering smile. "You don't owe me an apology, Avatar Aang. I know that you and your wife did all you could for Quan today."

"Call me Aang," he entreated her softly, "After all that's happened today, there's no point in there being formalities between us."

Once again, she dropped her eyes. "I am very sorry that your wife was lost to you, Aang. She seemed very strong…and brave."

"She _is_ strong and brave and she wasn't lost to me," Aang determined, "If you're right and it is Jiang Lan tormenting you then it's possible that Katara and your son, along with the any others who have been taken, are trapped in the spirit world."

"Can they survive in the spirit world?" someone gasped.

"What does that mean?" another asked.

"Can you get them out?" yet another demanded.

Aang set him jaw in grim resignation. "I'm not coming back without them."

After sending the crowd away safely, Aang folded himself down onto the riverbank in the lotus position and closed his eyes to meditate. In the beginning, it was difficult for him to disconnect himself from the physical plain of existence. Those last few moments before Katara took that running dive into the water kept playing over and over again in his mind. He thought of just that morning when she had lain curled beside him and how perfectly and sweetly and softly she fit there and Aang ached with the fear that he would never know that feeling again. That fear and pain kept him anchored in the physical reality.

Yet Aang persevered and gradually, he could feel himself begin to slip away, floating away from his surroundings on a cloud of pure, cosmic energy. He surrendered himself to that oneness with the universe, feeling as if he were drifting outside his own body on a completely separate realm of existence. When Aang opened his eyes again not much had changed in the way of his environment, except when he looked down, he could see his body frozen in a meditative trance and aglow with the avatar spirit. He wasn't at all surprised when he turned to his right and found Roku standing there.

"Hello, Avatar Aang," his spiritual mentor greeted with a fond smile, "it has been much too long."

"Roku, you know already why I'm here. I need to find a river spirit called Jiang Lan. She took Katara and many others and I don't know why."

"She is not far. You must enter the river and swim until you reach the deepest point there. Afterwards, pass through the riverbed and you will find Jiang Lan's lair on the other side," Roku directed him, "But be careful. Guard yourself, Aang. Jiang Lan can be quite volatile and vengeful when provoked."

"Thank you." However, as Aang started to step out into the water, he froze mid-step and turned a hesitant glance over his shoulder at Roku. "Katara…is… I mean…she's not…?"

"I can't give you an answer to that, Aang."

"Don't you know?"

Roku shook his head sadly. "I do not. There are many variables. Ultimately, only Jiang Lan can answer your questions. What I do know is that Katara and the others cannot remain in the spirit world indefinitely. You must find them and quickly. Good luck."

Aang nodded to him in a terse farewell and then, recalling that there was no bending in the spirit world, inhaled a deep breath and dove into the churning river waters. Acutely aware of the limited air supply available to him, Aang figured he didn't have an inordinate amount of time to find the deepest part of the riverbed. However, he was surprised to discover that, almost immediately after being submerged, the water began to propel him deeper with a force all its own. Aang speared through the water, cutting a bubbling path toward the river's pristine floor which he, Aang quickly noticed, was approaching with alarming speed.

Only seconds before he recognized that he was going to crash and covered his head in preparation for the impact, Aang was being shot through the band of earth that separated the physical world from Jiang Lan's spirit lair. He crashed through a diaphanous cloud of earth and vapor before finally coming to an unceremonious stop with a breath-stealing thud against something very solid.

Having the wind momentarily knocked out of him, Aang lay there for a few, gasping seconds. His entire being centered on dragging enough air into his lungs to breath. When he finally felt strong enough to stand, he staggered to his feet and truly assimilated his body for the first time.

The river was now served as his sky. That was Aang's first realization as he looked up and saw the schools of colorful fish, leafy tentacles of teaming sea-life and ethereal blue water waving above him. In contrast, the surface on which he stood, however, had the appearance of a barren desert. It stretched on for miles and miles with no end visible in sight.

Yet, upon stooping down for closer inspection, Aang quickly realized that this "desert" was not comprised of sand at all, but thousands and thousands of tiny calcifications, glistening, sharp and pristine in appearance. As he stared down at them, completely at a loss as to which direction he should go, the calcifications gradually began pulsing with a glistening halo that stretched across the expanse in a winding path…almost as if they were lighting the way for him. Left without much choice in the matter, Aang followed the spreading beacon.

After walking on for what seemed like miles, Aang began to seriously doubt that he would find the illusive river spirit Jiang Lan. In a volatile culmination, his fear, anger and frustration abruptly boiled over and he stopped dead in his tracks, demanding in a loud voice that the spirit show herself immediately. "This isn't a game!" he yelled to the empty expanse, "I traveled all this way to see you! The least you can do is show yourself! Or are you too much of a coward to face what you've done and the people you've hurt?"

The contemptuous challenge had barely left his lips before the ground beneath his feet began to pulse rhythmically. As the terrain began to splinter apart with tiny cracks, ribbons of water bubbled forth from the tiny fissures created. Aang took a reflexive step backwards, panic and uncertainty crashing together in his chest as the winding tendrils started to converge together into a form that seemed neither human nor animal. The creature had the face and torso of a woman with hair that flowed out from her scalp the tentacles of a giant squid while her the lower half of her resembled something like a scorpion-ray. But, most disturbingly of all, the creature was comprised completely of water. It was difficult for Aang to conceal his horrified flinch when he beheld her.

As if suspended in mid-air, she floated about Aang in slow, swishing turns as if she didn't know quite what to make of him. The fact that she did not speak, but continued to circle him in an almost predatory fashion thoroughly unnerved Aang. He masked his anxiety behind a flinty stare.

"Are you Jiang Lan, the river spirit?" he asked in a steady tone as she rounded him again.

"I am called many names," she hissed, "that is but one." Her words sounded as if they were being spoken from underwater. "What business do you have here, airbender?"

"My name is Aang," he told her, "I'm the Avatar and I have reason to believe that you've taken someone who I love very much. I want her back. I want everyone you've taken back."

"I know very well who you are…_and_ why you have come to me."

"So then there's no reason for us to play games with one another," Aang told her, "I came here to you in the interest of clearing up the misunderstanding that has taken place between you and the people who love this river. The townspeople don't know what they have done to displease you, but they wish to make amends. What can I do to soothe this matter between you?"

Jiang Lan's lips curled in a watery smile. "That is not the true reason that you're here." The spirit arranged itself briefly into Katara's haunted visage before reverting back to form. "_That_ is the reason that you're here." Aang clamped down on the urge to flinch. "She is very pretty…your love," Jiang Lan said, "Perhaps, I will keep her. I have always preferred waterbenders."

Her unspoken threat broke the tenuous hold Aang had on his temper and emotions. "Don't you dare hurt her! She did nothing to you!" he flared, "She was trying to help that little boy! You had no right to take her!"

The spirit sneered at him. "My river…my right!"

Aang bit back his retort and instead made a concerted effort to keep himself focused on the issues at hand. "Why are you doing this? What have the townspeople done to make you so angry?"

Jiang Lan drew herself up to impressive stature, her manner haughty as she looked down on him. "The mortal world is full of selfishness, injustice and cruelty and they…those I believed were once mine…they are no different. They have disrespected me. They have disrespected my river and now they must pay for their folly."

As if cued by a silent command, Aang watched, transfixed, as the entire story was projected onto the flinty granules beneath his feet. He saw the man Jingwei and the shady business practices that he used when dealing with his fellowman. Aang quickly discovered that Jingwei was not only a greedy man, but he was also a liar, a manipulator and a thief. He witnessed the events leading up to the man's death, how Jingwei had stolen the orchids from along the riverbank when he had known from boyhood that such a thing was forbidden. The vision revealed how he had planned to use the orchids' incredible healing properties to, not only turn a profit, but also make himself omnipotent.

In seeking such power and glory for himself, Jingwei had paved the way for his own demise. He had cooked the orchids in a stew, boiling them free of their essence until they died…and when they had so had a piece of Jiang Lan herself. After Jingwei ate the stew, it was like a violation to Jiang Lan, an abomination for which there could be no forgiveness. She had felt the death of the orchids as if dying herself because the flowers were an extension of her spirit, an expression of her love. She had grieved for their loss and ached with Jingwei's betrayal.

"Jingwei was an insolent thief!" Jiang Lan spat, "And then they _dared_ to bring him to my waters for healing after the unspeakable thing he had done when dying was the exact punishment he deserved! They profaned my river and now they will suffer for the disgusting act they have committed!"

"But they didn't know!" Aang argued, "I've spoken to those people and they hold your river and _you_ in very high regard! They would never knowingly disrespect the gifts you have given them!"

"I once thought that of Jingwei. I watched him grow, as I have watched them all because they were mine, and I thought I knew him. But he proved me wrong. I shall not make the same mistake again."

"Don't you see what you're doing? You're punishing an entire town full of people for the actions of one man! Punish Jingwei for what's he's done, but don't hold the rest of the town responsible! It's not right!"

"Are you questioning my sense of justice?" she seethed, "What gives you the authority to do so when you have not seen what I have seen or known what I have known?"

"What you're seeking isn't justice. What you want is _revenge_ and it's wrong…as wrong as what Jingwei did to you!"

"You dare to compare me, a spirit as old as the moon, to that waste of a man…a person with no loyalty, no honor?" Jiang Lan snarled, "You test my patience greatly, Avatar."

"I meant no disrespect to you, great and wise spirit," Aang interjected quickly. "I can empathize with the disappointment you must feel and the hurt. But I can't stand by while you torment innocent people! I can't let you keep Katara!"

Jiang Lan circled him again, this time in clear challenge. "And how will you stop me from doing so if I wish it?" she whispered.

Rather than responding to her veiled threats with threats of his own, Aang wisely decided to establish a common ground with her instead. "Do you think that you are the first to suffer injustice or taste betrayal?" he wondered softly, "My entire race was destroyed by the Fire Nation during the war. My wife lost her mother in a raid. And yet, one of our dearest friends is a firebender and a descendent of the very family responsible for those tragedies." As Aang spoke, he could tell that his words were managing to penetrate Jiang Lan's senses as her constant circling gradually began to stop.

"Had we punished our friend for the sins of his father and forefathers," Aang continued, "we would have never come to know the remarkable man he is and we would have missed out on an incredible friendship that has now lasted for more than 20 years." The spirit drew herself back, discerning the moral lesson behind the very personal story even while she didn't want to acknowledge it. Still, Aang didn't hesitate to hammer his point home. "Those townspeople revere you. They _want_ to love you. But, if you continue terrorizing them, they will come to fear you…and hate you."

"Perhaps I welcome their fear and hatred."

"I don't believe you. You gave them the orchids as a gift, because you wanted to help them. I think you love them but, because of what has happened, you don't _want_ to love them."

"And I think that you have said your piece, Avatar," Jiang Lan said, obviously dismissing him, "Now your time here has drawn to a close."

"What?" Aang cried, "Wait! No! You can't make me leave! Please, Jiang Lan, I am begging you! Don't do this to those families! Don't do this to Katara and don't do this to my children! They need their mother!"

"Your arguments have been undeniably compelling, but equally as biased," Jiang Lan told him, "It is your lack of partiality which makes me doubt the sincerity of your words. However, out of respect for the avatar spirit, I will consider what you have said here today. But, for now, you will leave me."

Before Aang could protest further, a powerful geyser spurted up from below him and began propelling him with great speed back the way he had come. No amount of vehement cries or violent struggles managed to slow its ascent either. Aang careened through the riverbed once again with Jiang Lan's parting words echoing in his ears, "Until we meet again, Avatar."

As his spirit was cannoned out of the water, Aang slammed back into his body with a bone jarring jolt. His first awareness when his eyes flashed open was that he had failed to bring Katara home. The realization was mixed with unending grief and self-effacing bitterness. Katara was still trapped in the spirit world, possibly frightened and uncertain and waiting for Aang to come for her. He felt as if he had let her down. But his biggest concern was that he did not know how long Katara could remain in the spirit world without losing her grip on reality as it had never been a place for humans.

With that frightening scenario beating around in his brain, Aang couldn't help but feel powerless right then. He slumped forward, tears leaking from the corners of his eyes as he whispered gruffly, "I'm sorry, Katara."

After briefly giving into his tears, it gradually began to dawn on Aang that, during his visit to Jiang Lan's lair, night had fallen. The luminescent moon shined brightly in the midnight sky, flanked by a blanket of twinkling stars. Aang tipped back his head to regard them with glimmering eyes, as if appealing to Yue and her winking brigade for help.

He feared that Jiang Lan was not going to let Katara go. The spirit was stubborn and willful and contrary just for spite. Aang had the option of returning to her lair and confronting her again, but he suspected that doing so would only make the spirit more obstinate. There had to be another way. If he couldn't appeal to Jiang Lan's sense of right and wrong then he would have to save Katara by some other means. Another failure was not an option. Whatever Aang had to do, he would do it because he would not return to Republic City without Katara.

With that resolve planted firmly in his heart and head, Aang closed his eyes and prepared to contact Roku, hoping his spiritual mentor could provide some insight on the matter. However, before he could drift away again with the cosmos, a rustling and the distinct sound of hushed whispering broke Aang's concentration. He twisted around, only half surprised to see Gen, Meili and a half a dozen others standing behind him, lanterns in hand and faces drawn in a combination of hope and dread.

Only Meili found the courage to speak and, when she did, her words were stilted and shaky. "Did she…will Jiang Lan release them to us after all?"

Aang shifted to his feet and shook his head sadly. "I don't think she will," he said, but before they could dissolve into grief and despair he added in fervent promise, "But I will find another way. I won't stop until I find another way." He made the vow as much for himself as he did for them.

However, before Aang could discern if his reassurance had been a comfort to them or not, the river began to pitch and swell behind him. With the sound of that ominous churning the small group of townspeople immediately scattered in expectation of further horror. But Aang stood his ground; half hoping that this was Jiang Lan's way of indicating that she'd experienced a change of heart. He held his breath but was completely unprepared for the moment when Katara, Quan and several others were abruptly spat out from the water in an explosion of white light and misty spray. They landed at various points across the river bank, all thankfully alive, each sputtering and coughing and gasping for breath, stupefying the crowd gathered there on the beach.

When the watery vision of their precious water spirit materialized above the river, however, the shock that had immobilized the gathered crowd was obliterated. Pandemonium unleashed as people dove for cover while Aang quickly moved to plant himself between the frantic, fleeing people and the unpredictable water spirit. He stared up at her in disbelief, uncertain as to whether he be filled with wariness or extreme gratitude. After some internal vacillation, Aang finally settled on the latter.

"Why?" he asked, voicing aloud the only question his mind could conceive right then.

"Because you were right after all, Avatar," Jiang Lan said, directing a benevolent look towards the scattered persons trembling before her, "I would much prefer that they love me than fear me." With her words, the scrambling stopped and the people gradually came to look upon her in expectation. Jiang Lan inclined a regal nod towards them all and whispered, "It is forgiven."

After Jiang Lan's diaphanous form dissolved back into the bobbing river as abruptly as she had appeared, grateful families rushed to reunite with their lost loved ones. Yet, all of that went by in a blur for Aang. With Katara's named bursting from his lips and his heart slamming into his ribs, Aang went skidding to Katara's side and yanked her into his arms, hugging her so tightly that she feared he might break her ribs. He pulled back briefly to skate his hands over her body, needing to reassure himself by touch that she was real and truly in his arms. Once he was comforted by his frantic inspection, Aang snatched her back against him as if he never meant to let her go.

His tears flowed at an uncontrollable rate. "I thought I might never see you again," he choked into her hair.

"Why?" she demanded in confusion, enduring his viselike hold as best she could, "I'm right here. Why are you trying to break me in half?"

Her response actually left Aang trembling, his emotions veering somewhere between extreme emotional exhaustion and unparalleled relief. He loosened his hold a bit and tipped his head back to look at her, reading the confusion in her eyes. "You don't remember anything about what's happened in the last ten hours, do you?"

"I remember playing in the forest with you. I remember trying to save that little boy and then…nothing until just now." She gripped Aang's forearms, blinking up at him anxiously. "Did I do it, Aang? Did I save him? Is he okay?"

"Yes, you saved him. He's okay, but you've both been trapped in the spirit world this whole time," Aang told her.

Katara was dumbstruck by the statement because, try as she might, she couldn't recall a single bit of what Aang was telling her. "Really? I have?"

"Are you sure you're okay?" he pressed her anxiously, "Are you feeling sick? Are you in any pain?"

"I'm okay," she assured him with a shaky laugh, "Just tired and confused." She brushed her fingers across his cheeks, whisking away the tears that had fallen there. "I'm sorry I scared you."

Somehow his attempt to smile only made the fresh tears welling in his eyes more pronounced. "Good. Then don't ever do it again."

Katara rested her head against his shoulder, a fatigued smile hovering on her lips as she sighed, "You know me. I can make no promises."

After she felt strong enough to stand, Aang suggested that they nix their decision to camp out in the area for the evening and, instead, retrieve Appa and fly back to Republic City that night. He wanted to put as much distance between him and Jiang Lan's river as he possibly could. Surprisingly though, Katara was reluctant to scrap the entire trip and managed to talk Aang into continuing their journey together despite the less than thrilling start to their adventure.

But upon learning of their plans for immediate departure Meili, grateful for all Aang had done to return her son to her and Katara's bravery in attempting to save him, would not hear of it. With her child returned and her husband recovered, she happily extended hospitality to them. She insisted that it was too late for them to travel and kindly suggested that they stay in the small loft situated in her barn for the night. Extremely aware that Katara was drooping with exhaustion despite her very earnest protests to the contrary, Aang gratefully accepted Meili's offer.

An hour later, he and Katara were freshly washed and preparing for bed among great bales of fragrant hay with Appa dozing in the large, open area beneath the loft. The hour was so late and the day had been so stressful that Katara fully expected Aang to fall asleep the second his head hit the pallet. However, as she brushed and braided her hair, she could feel Aang's intense gaze on her the entire time. Finally, she twisted around to face him.

"I'm right here, you know," she said softly, "I'm not going to disappear if you close your eyes. Go to sleep."

"I just want to look at you…is that okay?"

Katara smiled at him and set aside her brush before extinguishing the flickering lamp which hung from the rafters. Cloaked in darkness, she crawled up beside Aang on the makeshift pallet he'd erected as their bed for the night and leaned over to brush his lips in a light kiss. "Yes. That's okay."

Sighing with both fatigue and relief, Aang pulled her against him then and they snuggled together face to face, arms and legs intertwined. "I don't think I've ever been as scared in my life as I was today," he confessed into the murky shadows.

"Not even when you faced Firelord Ozai?" she whispered.

"Not even then," he whispered back, "Nothing scares me as much as the thought of losing you, Katara."

She pressed closer against him, her breath stirring sweetly against his skin as she murmured, "I know how you feel, Aang. When Azula shot you down in the crystal catacombs, the day that Ba Sing Se fell…" She trailed off into silence, shuddering in his arms with the memory. "Even now, whenever I look that scar on your back, I remember that day and I get chills because I know how close I came to losing you…that I _did_ lose you."

"But you brought me back, Katara."

"And you brought me back." She swept up his hand and pressed it against her chest so that he could feel the life-affirming thump of her heart. "You haven't lost me. I'm here with you, Aang. I'm right here."

"But someday you won't b—,"

She silenced his argument with a kiss. "Someday is still very, very far off, Aang," she told him, "We're kids, remember? Someday might as well be another lifetime." She paused to lift her nightgown and whisk it over her head, revealing the nude curves and matured hollows of her body to his avid eyes. "_Tonight_, however, is right now," she continued softly, shifting onto her back and pulling him with her so that his weight settled perfectly into the space she made for him, "and I'm here with you now…"

With one kiss their fatigue melted away. Aang and Katara made love to each other that night with an uncharacteristic and insatiable intensity, eventually filling the cramped confines of their sleeping quarters with their broken gasps and muffled moans of pleasure. They couldn't kiss deeply enough, couldn't touch intimately enough, couldn't get close enough. Their bodies strained and arched together, pounding and rhythmic, sleek and soft as they panted furiously towards climax, only to reach that elusive peak and then shift positions to begin anew. Again and again, they rose and fell together in an undulating wave of damp limbs and sticky skin, touching and tasting yet never finding satisfaction, always wanting more.

But for Aang, his driving desire to taste and touch and kiss as intensely and thoroughly as possible seemed to reach far beyond the wild, passionate need to please Katara sexually or to even seek pleasure for himself. In those groaning hours as Aang joined his body to hers, sinking deeper and deeper into the slick center of her, pressing closer than he ever imagined he could, Aang was determined to leave no part of Katara untouched. It was as if he wanted to meld his soul with hers…to form an eternal connection with her that could never be broken, not even by death. Somehow, he wanted to make it so that he could have Katara with him always but Aang was also driven by the need to give to her an eternal piece of his soul as well.

And afterwards, when Katara lay sprawled across him, body limp and sated as she delicately hovered between wakefulness and slumber, Aang held her fast against him when she would have rolled away, reluctant to relinquish her warmth, content to remain inside her…beneath her…and connected still.

**~End~**


	14. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

**Guess Who's Coming to Dinner**

She darted over to peer out the window again, the ninth time in a two minute span.

Aang registered his daughter's erratic movements across the living from the corner of his eye. Earlier he had been driven from the kitchen by his irate wife for daring to make a last minute dinner request so he had no way of knowing that Kya's frenetic pacing had been going on for some time. But, since he had retreated to the living room following Katara's threat to whack him with a wooden spoon if he didn't "stop driving her crazy," Aang had become acutely aware of Kya's seeming inability to sit still. He watched her surreptitiously between casually reviewing a Republic City zoning ordinance and watching Bumi to make sure he didn't cheat his brother during their game of Pai Sho. However, when Kya made a tenth pass in a beeline for the window again, Aang finally set aside his work and decided to say something about it.

"Hey…you're not nervous, are you?"

Kya startled at his question, whipping away from the window with a guilty blush. "Nervous?" she snorted a little too brazenly, "Why would I be nervous? I'm not nervous! That's ridiculous!"

"You seem kind of nervous," Aang pointed out gently.

"I was thinking 'neurotic and weird,'" Bumi wisecracked, "but 'nervous' works too."

His older sister glowered at him. "You're seriously about to find yourself on the receiving end of my water whip," she warned him direly.

"Kya, please don't threaten your brother," Aang sighed in long-suffering, "Bumi, pay attention to your game."

"That's it?" Kya sputtered, "That's all you're going to say to him for being obnoxious?"

"You're 17. He's 12. I expect less from him, not from you," Aang returned in a mild tone. While Kya worked herself into a righteous froth over that, Bumi sat trying to decide if he should be smug over the fact his father had sided with him or insulted because Aang had just implied he was childish.

"But…but that's not fair at all!" Kya cried, "He started it, Dad! He's always making his little jokes and you always take his side even when he's being a brat!" She threw a glance at Tenzin who, until that point, had managed to keep his head down in an effort to mind his own business. But the instant his sister's eyes zoomed in on him, he knew that effort was fruitless. So Tenzin wasn't at all surprised when she made an attempt to rally his support for her cause. "Isn't that so? Doesn't Dad always take Bumi's side, Tenzin?"

"I don't want to be in the middle, Kya," Tenzin replied with a longsuffering sigh, "Can't I just play the game or…or pretend to be invisible or something?"

The seventeen year old crossed her arms with a derisive sniff. "Well, if you want to be a coward then…"

"Kya," Aang entreated in a reasonable tone, "stop picking at your brothers and tell me why you're being so jumpy and defensive. Are you upset because your mother and I decided to invite your friend to dinner tonight?"

Her impassioned reaction to that question explicitly confirmed that was exactly the reason she was upset. "What do you think, Dad?" she cried plaintively, "Why would you do that? Why would you ask Alignak to come here without discussing it with me first? And then, to make matters worse, you spring it on me an hour before he's supposed to be here! It's so humiliating!"

"I've tried waiting for you to do it," her father pointed out smoothly, "but you've been dragging your feet about it for months now. So, when I bumped into him unexpectedly this afternoon, I did the polite thing and invited him for dinner. What's wrong with that? If anything I should be upset with _you_ because he was the one who approached me. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to pick him out of a crowd!"

Kya threw up her hands in beleaguered exasperation. "Gah! You're impossible!"

Just as Kya finished that growling lamentation, her mother exited the kitchen with a deep frown. "Well, what else were we supposed to do, Kya?" Katara demanded, "You've been saying for a while now that you would bring him home so we could meet him, but nothing has happened. We know next to nothing about this boy and yet you've been spending all kinds of time with him. How else are we supposed to get to know him better?"

"Why do you need to meet him?" she cried, "What is this obsession you two have with knowing people? You already know hundreds! Why do you need to add one more?"

"Why are you getting so defensive?" Katara countered.

"That's what I just asked her," Aang interjected.

"Are you embarrassed to bring him here or something?" Katara quickly followed up.

"Embarrassed? Oh, Mother, why would I be embarrassed or feel any kind pressure to introduce anyone to my less than normal family?" Kya wondered in sardonic affront, "It's not like my brothers are weird and insane and take pleasure in making me miserable—,"

"I don't!" Tenzin piped in, earning a flick from Bumi for his efforts. But Kya didn't break her stride at all.

"—or…or that my family dynamic could only be described as intimidating! I mean you're…well _you_ and Dad is _the_ _Avatar_. That's a huge deal for some people! I'm already a freak of nature just because you two are my parents. And then you throw in this…" She made a sweeping gesture towards Bumi. "Can you really blame me for not wanting to bring someone home to that?"

"Kya, is it really such a terrible thing that your mother and I would like to meet this person who apparently means so much to you?" her father asked, "Can you really not understand why we would want to know him?"

"What do you need to know? I…I told you everything," she stammered, "He's a bender and he lives in the Court district with his mom and younger brother. His father was originally from the Northern Water Tribe and he died when Alignak was thirteen. Alignak has been taking care of his mom and brother ever since. He's strong and smart and funny and…"

Bumi interrupted her glowing narration with loud kissing noises. "Oooh, smootchie, smootchie, someone's in love!"

"Shush up, Bumi!" Kya snapped before addressing her parents once more. "Basically, Alignak is a really great guy. He's the first person I've met who didn't have preconceived notions about me because I'm the Avatar's kid. He wasn't impressed by that at all. He likes my quirkiness and he doesn't judge me. He's…He's my friend…a good friend and I like him."

"Don't you mean he's your _boyfriend_ now?" Bumi corrected behind a series of sharp coughs.

Tenzin dropped his head to the wooden Pai Sho board with a rumbling groan, knowing instinctively that the situation was about to take a disagreeable turn. He was still young, but he knew enough to know that Bumi had just broken the brother code by revealing the secret about Kya's secret boyfriend. Now things were _really_ going to get ugly. He kept his head bowed and hoped devoutly that his parents didn't call on him as a witness.

Kya sliced Bumi with narrowed blue eyes filled with promise for swift and painful retribution. "You are so dead."

He cut a glance over to their stunned parents and then turned up his face to favor her with a smug smile. "You first."

After glaring at him one last time, Kya threw a glance over at her speechless parents and immediately wished she hadn't. Her father looked as if he'd just sustained a blow to the head. He was literally reeling. Friends he could manage. _Boy_friends, however, were another matter entirely. And her mother…the dark glower that Katara was directing towards Kya right then gave the teenager shivers.

"Is this true, Kya?" Aang asked with some concern, unexpectedly inundated with a feeling that could only be described as fierce protectiveness. Suddenly, his unease with knowing so little about the boy was magnified one hundredfold. "Is Alignak your boyfriend? Are you dating him now?"

"A better question would be…who said you could date at all?" Katara fired out before Kya could answer.

Recognizing the rising flare of indignation in her mother's eyes and rightly fearing the explosion she knew was coming, Kya quickly began to babble out a string of hurried excuses. In her frenzied haste to soothe her parents, Kya chose to ignore Bumi's humming chorus of "somebody's gonna get it…" Yet, even without Kya's seething reaction to his irreverent teasing, Bumi's amusement at her expense was short-lived. Katara leveled a dangerous look towards both of her sons and uttered one single, chilling word: "Out." It was then that Kya knew that she really was "gonna get it."

Kya swallowed audibly, refusing to look over at Tenzin and Bumi as they scurried from living room. She feared that if she looked at them, she'd be compelled to beg them to stay. As much as Bumi annoyed the living daylights out of her, Kya would have gladly welcomed his continued presence right then if it didn't mean her facing her mother's wrath alone. Kya could usually finagle her dad, but her mother was immune to her sweet smiles entirely. And, if the expression on her father's face was any indication, they weren't going to make any headway with him this time either.

"So answer us, young lady," Katara demanded with crossed arms once they were alone, "Is what your brother said true? Are you dating this boy who is supposedly _your friend_?"

"Well, honestly…I'm not sure why it would be a big deal even if I was," Kya prevaricated a little wildly, "Why should I need permission to fall in love? It's not like I've committed a crime or something!"

Aang's head started to spin. "Wait! Are you in love?"

"I'm not saying that, Dad!" she cried.

"Then what _are_ you saying, Kya?" Katara exacted tartly, "Are you dating this boy or not?"

She hung her head then, suddenly absorbed with the tips of her moccasins when she answered in a miserable whisper, "Yes. Yes, I'm dating him." As her parents reacted to that with mutual groans of disbelief, she quickly added, "But it's new. We…we haven't _done_ anything if that's what you're worried about."

"Okay, okay, okay," her father said in a tone that made it clear he was more unsettled by her reassurance than comforted, "So, you've got a boyfriend. Okay then. Fine. We'll deal with that."

Kya lifted her eyes towards him in entreaty. "Dad, he's a really good person and I care about him so much," she told him, "Surely you understand what I'm feeling. You started dating Mom when you were even younger than me!"

"You can't compare the situations, Kya," Katara interrupted.

"Why not?" Kya demanded, "Why was it okay for you to have a boyfriend at fourteen, but I have to get signed permission before I can date? Love can't be managed, Mom!"

"This has very little to do with you dating, young lady, and everything to do with you _lying_ about it!" Katara snapped, "Kya, when your dad and I fell in love, we didn't keep that a secret. We went to your grandfather and told him how we felt about one another! We certainly didn't pretend that we were less than what we were and we absolutely did not sneak around!"

"Your mother's right," Aang agreed, "You've been lying to us for weeks, Kya! I've asked you about Alignak countless times and you've always maintained that it was a friendship and nothing more. You want us to respectful of your feelings for him but you're the one who's treating them like they're some shameful secret!"

Kya clamped down on her trembling lower lip. "I…I have a good reason for that!"

"Please, enlighten us! We're listening," her mother invited brusquely.

"It's because of you and Dad!" Kya flared with an angry scowl. "I didn't tell you guys about dating Alignak because…because he's a probender that's why! His team is sponsored by Yakone!"

"He works for _Yakone_?" Katara gaped, "A _probender_?"

"Kya, you know better!" Aang exploded in agitated disbelief, "Yakone is a criminal! He is under numerous investigations and you know that!"

"And you know that we would never condone you being in that kind of environment!" Katara added furiously, "Probending is linked with most of the illegal activities that go on in this city! What were you thinking? _What could you possibly be thinking?_"

Body rigid, fists clenched at her sides and lip trembling violently over having her judgment questioned and assailed so thoroughly, Kya bounced mutinous glares between both her parents. "You see what I mean? This is why I didn't say anything. This is why I can't talk to you! I knew you would judge Alignak before you even met him because of who he knows and what he does! But it's not fair! Aunt Toph says that right now Yakone is only _under suspicion_. You can't prove that he's done anything wrong!"

Because he knew that he couldn't possibly discuss with Kya the sinister allegations that had prompted the investigation into Yakone and his business dealings, Aang instead sought to appeal to his daughter's more calm and reasonable side instead. "If you truly believe that we had no real reason to find fault with Alignak, then why not bring him here to us and prove that?" he countered softly, "We have always given you the benefit of the doubt, so why all the lies, Kya? What's with all the sneaking around that you've been doing?"

"I didn't want you to judge him before you had met him," Kya whispered mournfully.

"Well, by hiding him from us and misleading us about the nature of the relationship you have with him, you've given us reason to think we _should_ mistrust him, Kya…and you."

Her father's words while soft and calm were so filled with hurt and disappointment that Kya lost the fight to hold back her tears. They rolled down her cheeks in twin rivulets as she dropped her gaze, unable to her father's disillusioned eyes directly. Unfortunately, her whispered apology seemed to do little to appease either one of them. As she stood there, weeping quietly and mourning the loss of her parents' trust, her mother slipped into a nearby chair with a heavy groan of consternation.

"I think I know what's going on here," Katara sighed. She glanced over towards Aang. "I told you before that Yakone approached me two years ago with the idea of Kya joining one of his bending teams and that I refused him. I knew he wasn't going to take no for an answer then and I was right! Obviously, he decided to come at her from a different angle."

"Katara, I don't know if it's th—,"

Aang had barely finished voicing his neutral observation before his daughter, tears forgotten, was already drawing herself straight and launching her irate retort. "Oh, so what are you saying, Mother? Are you saying that Alignak couldn't possibly like me for me? Are you saying that his interest in me couldn't possibly be genuine? No, he only wants to be with me because Yakone told him to do it, is that right?" She waved a dismissive hand and snorted, "You don't know a thing about him!"

"And whose fault is that?" Katara challenged sharply, "Are you saying that he's never made the suggestion to become a probender to you before?"

"Actually, he has," Kya admitted haughtily, "And do you know what I said? I told him no…that wasn't interested and he totally accepted that."

"Oh really?" her mother snorted.

"He respects my abilities!" Kya argued, "He doesn't want me to waste my potential, but I know that he supports my decision to use my bending in the way I see fit!"

"Okay enough," Aang intervened before the argument could degenerate into a full-fledged shouting match, "There's no point in arguing anymore. What's done is done." He glanced down at Katara, reaching over to give her shoulder a brief squeeze of commiseration and understanding. "She's dating him, Katara. We can't make her un-feel what she feels for him. This is too far gone and I think we need to find a way to accept it…even if we don't necessarily like how it happened."

And then he glanced over to his daughter, his expression stern but compassionate as he regarded her. "I can't say that I agree with the way you've handled this matter. I honestly believed you had more maturity than this, Kya, but it is what it is. We can't change the past," he told her, "but, from this point onward, there will be no more lies. Your mother and I don't deserve that. Am I understood?"

Kya jerked her head in terse nod. "Understood."

As expected, Dinner proved to be, unavoidably, a tense affair. The table was permeated by taut silence. To his credit, Bumi had made an effort to make amends with his sister prior to Alignak's arrival but he had been coldly rebuffed. As a result, not only was Kya not speaking to her mother and Bumi and Katara not speaking to Kya, but Bumi had also joined in on the silent treatment. At the dinner table, poor Tenzin was crotched down deep into his chair, apparently still trying to become invisible. As a result of the cold war waging within his family, Aang was left with the monumental task of carrying the majority of the dinner conversation which, unfortunately, wasn't very much.

In the long stretches of silence, however, Aang afforded himself with the opportunity to study the profile of the teenage boy who was the object of his only daughter's affections. From his vantage point, it was easy to do that furtively since Alignak sat directly to the left of him. Aang noted that he was a tall young man with dark skin and dark hair which were a stunning contrast to his bright, blue eyes. He was an astonishingly pretty boy, a fact Aang found surprising because he had never expected Kya to go for that type. Then again, he hadn't expected her to lie to them for weeks either.

Still, he made an effort not to pre-judge the young man based on Kya's less than trustworthy actions. And, Aang had to admit, on the surface Alignak seemed polished and respectful. Aang carefully noted how the young man spoke to Kya, how he touched her, how he smiled… He seemed to adore her and was inarguably protective. First impressions told Aang that the young man was genuine in his feelings for Kya, but as a father he still wanted to know more.

"So Kya tells us you're a probender…"

Almost the instant Aang made that opening statement all activity at the dinner table ceased. Kya choked back a horrified yelp while Katara laid her eating utensil back down beside her plate and fixed Alignak with an expectant look. Not a word was said as all eyes at the table meandered over to Alignak's face. The nineteen year old cleared his throat several times before answering, unable to keep himself from squirming under the penetrating stares he was receiving.

"Yes," he confirmed after a massive gulp of water, "I am. I've been doing it since I was sixteen. My team…the Water Wombats…we're the reigning champions right now."

"Is that so?" Katara asked.

Alignak nodded. "Yakone recruited me shortly after he started making plans to organize the sport."

"And are you aware that Yakone is under suspicion for having ties to the underworld in Republic City?" Katara demanded flatly, "That there's evidence that links probending to underworld crime?"

"MOM!" Kya's horrified exclamation easily drowned out her father's plaintive sigh as well as Alignak's foundering reaction to Katara's blunt query. Tenzin suddenly found his plate the most fascinating thing in the world and Bumi snickered, though he wisely did so behind the cover of his napkin.

"Well?" Katara pressed again, "Are you?"

Something fierce ignited in Alignak's eyes as he carefully wiped his mouth with his napkin, clearly making a bid for patience, and placed it back down alongside his plate. "With all due respect, Master Katara, I don't believe those stories about Yakone and I never have," he said, "Admittedly, he's a bit rough around the edges and sometimes that intimidates people, but he's a good, caring man. I would expect that the Avatar's wife and a respected bender such as yourself would refrain from spreading unfounded rumors."

"A good, caring man, huh?" Katara considered in a tone that could only be described as challenging, "It's funny…that's not the way I've heard him described at all. And as far as unfounded rumors are concerned, perhaps they wouldn't be so unfounded if the people who _found_ them didn't keep disappearing. That's quite coincidental, don't you think?"

"They are nothing more than embellished stories told by desperate people who wish to make a quick profit," Alignak insisted, "I know Yakone. He was once my father's business partner and, after my father died, Yakone took me and my brother under his wing as if we were his own sons. He loves us. Since then he's always made sure that my mother has been taken care of financially. In fact, he's been nothing but kind and generous to my family. When he came to my brother and me about his ideas for probending, we were only too happy to help him."

"So your brother is a bender as well?" Aang asked, hoping to steer the conversation into more neutral waters.

"Yes. He's a waterbender like me," Alignak confirmed.

"How fortunate for Yakone that he had such ready recruits in you both," Katara observed dryly.

"It's evident that you've decided to buy into the horrible stories people tell about him no matter what you hear to the contrary," Alignak said, "That saddens me. I guess some people just don't like to see an underdog succeed. Attitudes like that can spark a war."

While Katara felt that verbal dig acutely as well as the unspoken threat that unaccompanied it, her daughter seemed oblivious to the silky dissonance in Alignak's tone. Her parents, however, were not. They had seen and heard enough from Alignak to send their parental instincts into warning overdrive. As Kya reached across the table then to give his fingers a reassuring squeeze and Alignak exchanged soft smiles, Aang and Katara traded worried glances of their own.

Later that night, long after Kya had bid Alignak goodnight and had gone to bed herself, Aang and Katara remained restless and awake and obsessing over the latest issue with their wayward teenage daughter. "He seemed like a nice enough boy," Aang remarked as Katara crawled into bed with him for a snuggle, "Maybe we should just give him a chance and see how it goes."

"I don't know, Aang," Katara mumbled, "He seemed a bit too polished, don't you think?"

"I guess…"

Katara shifted around against him, resting her body against Aang's upper chest to regard him in the flickering light. "Don't tell me that you didn't pick up on that…that vibe from him," she prompted, "There's almost a cold manner there beneath his cordial façade. He gives me the same unsettled feeling that I had with Yakone."

"Yeah, I did pick up on that," Aang confessed, absently fingering the coiling tendrils of Katara's unbound hair, "But what alarmed me more than that was how Kya seemed to hang onto his every word. It…it just seemed like more than affection to me. Sometimes I felt like she was…I don't know…waiting for his approval or something. I didn't like it."

"I thought the same thing," Katara agreed unhappily.

"But maybe we're overreacting," Aang considered in a bid for impartiality, "Maybe we're not seeing things as they really are because we were so blindsided tonight. If we sleep on it, we could feel differently in the morning."

"I won't feel differently at all," Katara predicted darkly, "Did you hear how he talked about Yakone? He went on and on about that man like he singlehandedly orchestrated world peace! And Kya? She knows that Yakone is a dangerous man. We've warned her, but you can easily see how Alignak has been influencing her with his opinion."

"We can't forbid her to see him, Katara. That's only going to push her deeper into his arms."

"I know," she whispered, "I just…I have a bad feeling and I can't shake it. I keep remembering that day Yakone approached me in the park. There was something about the way he looked at me…something sinister and scary… And now, with what we know about him—,"

"—_Suspect_, Katara," Aang corrected meaningfully, "We don't know anything for sure. The White Lotus Society's investigation into his past yielded nothing substantial. You have to admit the pieces don't all fit."

"I believe what Toph says is true, Aang. I know it in my gut. Yakone is a bloodbender."

"Katara, you don't know that for sure. We certainly don't have enough evidence to prove it either and if you go waving that in Kya's face," he prefaced softly, "…it won't end well."

"I don't need the evidence to know that it's true, Aang. I can feel it. And I'm not going to let that man get to my daughter. I don't care what I have to do."

**~To Be Continued~**


	15. Two Sides to Every Face

**Two Sides to Every Face**

Kya was seriously beginning to feel persecuted.

After the disastrous dinner with Alignak the night before, unbeknownst to Kya, her parents had spent practically the entire night discussing at length the most prudent way of dealing with her. It had been her father's opinion that exerting parental authority over her and forbidding her to see Alignak would only worsen the situation. While her mother had been skeptical of that idea, both had unanimously agreed that sharing their suspicions about Yakone with Kya was definitely out. Neither of them had a single doubt that she would go running straight to Alignak with the allegations and, in the end, the knowledge would do more harm than good.

Consequently, Aang had been of the mindset that they should ride it out. Perhaps if they were supportive and patient then Kya's relationship with Alignak would eventually die a natural death and then they could finally put the sordid mess behind them. It was the path of least resistance and Katara hadn't been surprised by Aang's gravitation in that direction. So, she didn't argue with him. She had simply agreed to the terms and the couple had, at last, fallen into a somewhat restful sleep. However, now that the next morning had dawned and they had called Kya into the kitchen to discuss their decision, Katara mercurially decided to pull a wild card. She declared that Kya was grounded until further notice.

"_What?_" both father and daughter exclaimed simultaneously, although for very different reasons. Kya's reaction was a great deal more vehement. "Y-You're grounding me…even after everything you just said about giving Alignak a chance and waiting to see how I handled myself from now on?" she stammered incredulously, "But why?"

"You lied to us, Kya," her mother reiterated firmly, "I'm not going to reward you for bad behavior."

"But…but you and Dad said you were fine with me seeing Alignak," Kya sputtered, "You agreed!"

"And I'm not breaking that agreement," Katara said, "You _can_ see him…when I determine that enough time has passed for you to see the error of your ways."

"Oh, Katara…" Aang groaned.

Katara flashed a warning glance in his direction. "Don't 'oh, Katara' me. She needs this punishment, Aang! No one forced her to lie. The sooner that Kya learns that there are consequences for her actions, the better."

At that point, Kya surged to her feet, lower lip quivering with frustrated indignation. She glared at her mother with shimmering eyes. "I hate you!"

As the weeping teen fled the kitchen in angry tears, Aang turned a doleful glance towards his stone-faced wife. "How do you not flinch when she says that to you?" he wondered.

Katara shrugged. "The first time she said it to me she was eight. That time it stung, I'll admit that. But, after a few dozen or so times, you become immune."

"Do you?" Aang whispered, moving to place a comforting hand on her shoulder.

She turned her face aside to conceal the tears welling in her eyes. "No…not really."

"So what happened in here a little while ago?" Aang asked as she turned towards the stove to begin boiling water for tea, "I thought we agreed to back off Kya and give her some space."

"We did."

"So what gives?"

"She'll have plenty of space while she's cooling her heels in her room, which is all she'll see for the next six months if I have anything to say about it."

Aang ducked around in front of her when it became clear that she was deliberately avoiding his eyes. "Katara, that's not what we agreed on," he reminded mildly, "We never said that we would punish her."

She pinned him with a sharp glare. "Did you ever think that might be the problem, Aang?"

Recognizing that she was angry, but not at all certain of the precise reason she was, Aang decided to tread lightly. "Okay…what's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you've always been too permissive with her!" Katara fired sharply, "And not just with Kya, but with Bumi and Tenzin too! You never set any boundaries for them. You don't enforce any rules! Instead, you leave me to do it! So then I'm always left looking like the bad guy in their eyes!"

"What are you talking about, Katara? You've always been the one to put a heavy emphasis on following the rules…even when we were kids," Aang argued, "That's never been my thing."

"Well, we're not kids anymore, Aang! It should be your thing!" she retorted, "You're a parent now! Grow up! Our children need a father, not a playmate!"

Aang went rigid with those infuriated words, unable to decide if he was more hurt by the accusation or angered. "So what are you saying to me right now?" he asked after a few tense beats of silence, "You don't think I've been a good father? Am I failing in your eyes?"

"I'm asking if it would kill you to, just every once in a while, be the one to tell them 'no,' Aang?" She turned back to the stove, the line of her back and shoulders stiffened with angry resolve as she added in a sullen tone, "It shouldn't always have to be me."

Unaware of the escalating argument she had triggered between her parents, Kya lay sprawled across her bed in the lonely solitude of her room, already regretting her harsh words. She wasn't so heartless that she could ignore just how much her acrid avowal had wounded her mother. Kya was deeply shamed over it, not only causing Katara pain, but also because the words had been such a blatant lie. She didn't hate her mother at all. Far from it. Yet, sometimes Katara's unbendable attitude could be a bit difficult to take.

There was a running joke in their family that there were two ways to do something: the wrong way and Katara's way. However, there was some credence lended to that running gag due to the fact that her mother's advice often proved timely, sound and spot on. Even Kya's father, one of the wisest people she knew if not _the_ wisest, often sought out her mother's viewpoint on weighty matters. He valued her insight and opinion, so it was difficult for Kya to simply write off her mother's concerns as something trivial.

If Katara's instincts were sounding the alarm then it was very likely she had cause to feel uneasy. Kya had witnessed the rightness of her mother's intuition on more than one occasion. She couldn't deny that Katara had a sense about these sorts of things. And therein lay the crux of her frustration because…she didn't want her mother to be right. Not this time.

Alignak was unlike any other boy she had ever met. He had strong opinions and an even stronger personality. Upon their first encounter, he had not been impressed by the fact that her father was the Avatar. It didn't matter to him that her mother was one of the greatest waterbenders to ever live. If anything, he had disdained her for that lineage. In fact, when they had first been introduced by a mutual friend, Alignak had insulted her.

He had accused her of resting on the laurels of her famous parents and using her bending as a means to be trendy. He had all but implied that she was selfish and lazy. No one had ever spoken to her that way. His words had smarted and had affected Kya deeply. For days afterwards, she found herself replaying the charges he had made over and over again in her mind, obsessing over whether there was a shred of truth to them or not.

Later on that week, he had approached her again and while Kya had prepared herself for a verbal battle, Alignak disarmed her with an apology instead. He explained that he had been having a bad day and that he had been completely out of line with her. Kya had accepted his apology as well as his tentative offer for a "tea truce." Although he had left her confused and sullen in the days prior to that moment, Kya found herself laughing and smiling in his presence in the hours that followed it.

Following that day, their friendship began to blossom, but their relationship was always punctuated with the undercurrent of something else. Kya often felt poised on the edge of an emotional precipice with Alignak, her emotions regarding him more intense than anything she'd ever felt before. She couldn't deny that she liked the rush. Alignak would often take her out to lunch when she was done with school or and sometimes to his bending matches. Eventually, he started proudly introducing her as "his girl" wherever they went. And though he had never officially asked Kya to be his girl, she was flattered nonetheless that he wanted her to be.

Alignak was brave and fierce and he was continually encouraging her to test her bending limits. And yes, while there were times that he belittled her desire to become a healer, Kya knew that he only scoffed because he wanted her to reach her full potential. He cared about her and that's how he showed it. After all, even her own mother could be pushy when it came to her training. _"Yes, but that's because she wants you to become a well-rounded bender,"_ a tiny inner voice whispered, _"She's never once told you that you're wasting your talents."_

Kya tried to shake off the insidious doubts but they resurfaced again and again, unwilling to let her ignore the sharp contrast between her mother's demonstrations of love and encouragement and Alignak's demonstrations, which were sometimes punctuated by ridicule and impatience. "They're not the same people," she argued with herself internally, "Of course they're going to display their concern in different ways!" But were Alignak's motives really rooted in concern…or could her mother be right about him merely softening her so that she would be ripe pickings for Yakone?

"Stop it!" Kya snatched up a pillow and pressed it down over her head in an effort to drown out her misgivings. She clearly wasn't thinking straight! She was projecting her parents' fears and insecurities, not her own. She knew Alignak cared for her. She _knew_ it. _"If you say so,"_ that inner voice murmured. With a growl of pure frustration, Kya buried her head deeper into the pillow. "Just shush up already!"

"Was that supposed to be directed at me?" her father queried softly, "Or yourself?"

Startled by his unexpected entrance, Kya twisted around to face him but one glance at his disapproving expression had her resuming her sullen position underneath her pillow. "Not now, Dad. I want to be alone."

Aang plopped down beside her on the bed and plucked the pillow from over her head before tossing it away. Kya fixed him with a woebegone look but Aang remained steadfast. "I'm very aware that you want to be alone, Kya, but we need to talk."

She rolled over to present him with her back. "I've already said everything that I have to say."

"I haven't," Aang countered brusquely, "The way you spoke to your mother earlier was inexcusable. I don't care how upset you were. How can you have such gentle compassion for animals and yet so little regard for the woman who gave birth to you?"

Upon hearing the disappointed hurt in his question, Kya slowly shifted around to face him and, when she did, her face was dark with shame and streaked with tears. "I didn't mean it, Daddy!" she sobbed, pitching herself into his arms, "Please don't hate me! I'm so sorry I said it!"

He tenderly cradled her close, smoothing down her hair as she wept bitterly into his shirtfront. His own throat ached with the ball of misery lodged there on her behalf, but Aang knew that he couldn't allow himself to waver. "I don't hate you, Kya," he whispered when her tears finally began to abate, "That's not even possible." She tipped a timid glance up at him, her face splotchy, eyes swollen and rimmed with red. "I don't hate you," he reiterated softly, "But I am seriously questioning your judgment right now."

Though the rebuke was mild and tempered by kindness and compassion, Kya shook off her father's loose embrace nonetheless and rolled upright. "Are you saying all of this because I'm falling in love?" she asked almost incredulously, "Is that really so difficult to accept?"

"I'm saying this because of the things you've _done_ in the name of love, Kya!"

She had the grace to appear chastened in the wake of his admonishment. "I know I screwed up and I'm sorry. I've never had a boyfriend before. It stands to reason that I'm not going to do everything right. But now I've learned my lesson and I promise I'll never lie to you and Mom again."

"You've never been like this before," Aang reasoned, "and I have to wonder if that's a result of Alignak's influence on you. I'm concerned."

"Oh well, now you sound like Mom," Kya scoffed, rolling from the bed entirely and whisking away the clinging vestiges of her tears as she did so. She threw a narrowed glance towards her bedroom door. "I can't believe that she's using you to do her dirty work for her."

Aang surveyed her with an inscrutable expression. "Is that what you think?"

Kya casually leaned back into the wooden façade of her armoire. "Everyone knows that, between you and Mom, you are the more reasonable one, Dad."

"Everyone?" he inquired, "Or specifically you and your brothers?"

The seemingly odd query left Kya frowning. "What do you mean, Dad?"

Rather than explaining himself, Aang followed up her question with a question of his own. "Kya, how long have you known Alignak?"

"I don't know. A few months maybe."

"And how long have you known me and your mother?"

She leveled him with a look of bewildered exasperation. "Dad, you know that's a silly question."

"Answer it anyway," he insisted.

Kya obliged, albeit impatiently, "All of my life! There. Are you happy?"

"And how long has that been exactly?" he pressed further.

"Almost 18 years."

"And in that time has either your mother or I denied anything good from you?"

"No, you haven't. Dad, look…I know you love me, but—,"

"—But what is a few months compared to 18 years of certainty?" Aang interjected smoothly. "How can you have more trust for Alignak and his judgment than you do for ours when you haven't even known him a fraction of the time you've known us?" Kya's argument died on her lips then, unable to counter her father's forthright practicality. "You just said so yourself," he reminded her, "You know that we love you. We want the best for you. So, if we haven't denied you anything good in _18 years_, why do you think we're suddenly going to start doing it now?"

Kya didn't need a map to know where his argument was leading. She slumped forward in defeat. "You want me to stop seeing him, don't you?"

"I'm _telling_ you to stop seeing him."

"But Dad, I—,"

He held up his hand to cut her off. "No. Stop it. I don't want an argument, Kya. You won't see him. You won't write to him. You won't talk to him at all."

"That's not fair!"

"I don't like the company he keeps and I don't like the influence he has on you. The relationship is over."

Kya balked. "So that's it? I don't get a say or anything? You decree it and that's the end of discussion?"

"The next _say_ you can have is an apology to your mother," Aang told her, "Are you ready to do that now?" Kya crossed her arms in mutinous refusal. Aang expelled a rueful sigh. "I wish it didn't have to be like this."

"Somehow I find that really hard to believe…_warden_."

Having very rarely been on the receiving side of Kya's ire, Aang was surprised to discover that he was holding his resolve despite her snotty attitude. Granted, it wasn't pleasant and he didn't like putting himself in the middle of conflict, but Aang couldn't ignore the veracity of Katara's angry words when he had been in the kitchen earlier. He shouldn't always leave her the responsibility of serving as the disciplinarian. He needed to step up in that regard as well. It was a difficult thing to do, but Aang didn't doubt it was right.

"Why don't you stay in here for a while until you figure out your priorities," he suggested, "You can come out when you're ready to apologize."

When he was gone, Kya pitched herself onto her bed with great, wracking sobs. She couldn't remember a single time in her life that her father hadn't been her ally. But if he was abandoning her now then Kya knew he had to be concerned. And Kya had no doubts that he had meant every word he just said to her. He wasn't just blustering for show. He fully expected her to end her relationship with Alignak. Period. Kya honestly didn't know if she could do that and, in those tearful hours, she had never felt more alone.

She had no idea how long she lay there. Kya wept bitterly into her pillow, alternating between hating her parents and yearning to run into their arms for comfort too. Before long, however, she became aware of a faint tapping sound outside of her window. It came at regular intervals, but with increasing frequency. After lying there listening to it for a few seconds more, curiosity finally compelled Kya to rouse herself from the bed to investigate.

When she tipped a look outside she was surprised to discover Alignak standing there below her window. For a fleeting second, she forgot herself and returned his jaunty smile. But then reason smacked her back into reality hard. "What are you doing here?" she hissed in a panic, "How did you even get on the island?"

"I bent my way across the river and cut across the island from the other side. After that, all I had to do was dodge the acolytes and here I am. It wasn't that hard."

"You're crazy!" Kya admonished him, though she was rather flattered and impressed by all he had gone through to see her. Still, fear prompted her to say, "If my parents catch you out here I'm ground seal meat and so are you!"

"You were supposed to meet me in the park an hour ago! I was worried."

Kya swallowed back a contrite groan at the reminder. "I'm sorry, Alignak. I totally forgot!"

"I'll try not to take that personally," he tossed back wryly. He gestured for her to climb down. "Well, come on then! I'll catch you!"

"I can't. I'm on house arrest. My parents don't want me seeing you anymore, Alignak."

"So what?"

"So what?" she echoed dubiously, "What do you mean 'so what?' They're the parents. They make the rules. I have to do what they say."

"But I'm not with your parents, Kya. I'm with you," he cajoled, "Don't you want to be with me too?" She nodded vigorously. "Then get your pretty little butt down here."

Kya cast an indecisive glance at her bedroom door, weighing the options before her. On the one hand, Alignak's charming smile was pretty hard to resist. On the other hand, her mother was unspeakably scary when she was angry. She could stay and avoid that, but then she'd miss out on spending time with her guy…a guy who had gone through quite a bit of trouble to see her that evening.

She glanced back down at Alignak, nodding in enthusiastic consent before she began carefully climbing from her bedroom window. "If I'm caught," she warned him as he braced her hips to steady her, "this will be the end of my existence as I know it."

Once her footing was secure, Alignak flipped her around in his arms and gave her a thorough kiss which stymied any further doubts. "Then I guess I need to make sure your last night on earth is a memorable one," he murmured.

They slipped off the island using the same manner of cover that Alignak had used to slip onto it. After jet propelling themselves onto the shores of Republic City, Alignak retrieved his motorbike and nodded for Kya to hop on. "Hurry up," he laughed as she fiddled with her helmet, "There's something special I want to show you tonight."

Kya couldn't help but wonder what that something "special" could be since it seemed to take them far beyond the outskirts of Republic City and almost into the mountains. When the drive became too steep, Alignak ditched his bike and they walked the rest of the way on foot. As daylight began to slip away, however, Kya couldn't help but worry that her absence had been discovered by now. Her parents were probably going out of their minds. Suddenly, the decision to run off so recklessly didn't seem like such a good one.

She started to slow her gait, tugging Alignak to a halt as she did. "I think we should go back. It will be dark soon."

"There's no need," he told her, "We're already here."

Kya did a quick pivot to survey their surroundings before favoring Alignak with a blank look. "And where is here exactly? All I see is a bunch of trees and a few boulders! We're in the wilderness!"

"Well, we've got plenty of places to sit at least," he teased, perching himself atop one of the larger rocks and then drawing Kya against him. Despite his charming jocularity, however, Kya remained tense. "Come on, relax," he coerced, "You didn't come with me tonight just to pout, did you?"

"They're going to be worried," she mumbled, "I didn't even leave a note."

"They'll be alright," he assured her. "Probably they think you popped out to clear your head or something. It's not a big deal, Kya."

Because she didn't particularly want to agonize over the situation anyway, Kya happily changed the subject. "So what now?"

He leaned forward to kiss her. "Now we wait."

"For what?"

"For the moon," he clarified, "It needs to be out if I'm going to execute this properly. I used to need to wait until the full moon, but now I can do it whenever the moon is out."

"Are you talking about bending?" Kya tore out of his arms with an aggravated snort. "You brought me out here in the middle of nowhere to show me _a bending move_?"

"Not just any bending move. _The_ bending move. Kya, this is going to change things for us…for everyone."

"Alignak, you know I don't care about this kind of stuff," Kya sighed dismissively, "I mean, it's nice that you have a new move for probending and all, but—,"

"This isn't about probending!" he interrupted sharply, "Open your eyes, Kya! What I'm about to show you is going to change your life!"

For the first time ever, Kya spied a zealous gleam in his eyes, an almost wild look…and it frightened her. She shook her head at him. "No. I like my life just the way it is. I don't want it to change."

"Well, you should!" he snapped, "You're one of the most powerful benders I've ever seen, Kya! You could be so much better and stronger, but you waste what's been given to you!"

"No, I don't! I use my bending to help people who need it! That's not a waste!"

"You know what your problem is? You're a tool for your father and he's so deep in the Firelord's pockets that he can't see his way out!"

Kya drew herself up with an indignant gasp. "You don't know the first thing about my father." She started to turn away with the half formed idea of trekking back down the mountain on her own, but he grabbed her arm in a hard grip before she'd even taken two steps and yanked her back. Shocked by the brutality of his hold, Kya jerked from him with an angry glare. "What's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with you?" he retorted, "I'm trying to share something incredible with you and you're spitting on it! You act like you don't even care!"

"Maybe that's because I don't like the way _you're_ acting right now," she replied softly.

He closed the distance between them then and reached out to gently cradle her face in his hands. "Kya, Kya…don't get upset," he whispered soothingly against her temple, "…I don't want to scare you, but I don't know another way to make you see."

"See what?"

"You've been to the Fire Nation before," he said in a low, hissing whisper, "You've seen how they live there. Does it strike you that they're suffering in the aftermath of the war?"

She shrugged out from his hold, looking at him as if she had never seen him before…or as if she were seeing him for the first time. "Alignak, that was 25 years ago, before I was born, before _you_ were born… The war has been over a long time."

"No, it isn't over. The Fire Nation has everything!" he spat, "Wealth! Prosperity! Power! What do the Water Tribes have? Where are our great cities? Where is our wealth, our power? The Water Tribes have _nothing_ because they are still struggling to rebuild what the Fire Nation destroyed in the war!"

"I know it's not perfect, but that's why people like my mother and the White Lotus Society devote their time to rebuilding the things that were lost! There are reconstruction efforts going on all over the world! I've been privileged several times to accompany my Dad to help rebuild towns and people's lives. It's not ideal, but the world is healing, Alignak. It's going to take time. We're not going to fix what took 100 years to destroy in a fraction of that time."

"That's the Avatar's idealism speaking," he scoffed.

"Well, I am the Avatar's daughter." Kya made the statement with straightforward pride.

"You're not an Air Nomad, Kya! You are a child of the Water Tribe. _That_ is where you come from," he sighed, "Don't let your mixed heritage confuse you!"

"I am not ashamed of my 'mixed' heritage and I won't let _anyone_ make me feel ashamed either."

"What about the part of your nationality that you ignore? What about the Water Tribes? Don't you have any sense of loyalty?"

"Obviously not or I never would have come out here with you tonight," she responded quietly, "Please…I'd like you to take me home now."

"Kya, don't…" He tried to touch her cheek, but she ducked out from beneath him. "Don't be like this. I love you. You know I love you." He had never said the words to her before. And while Kya didn't want to be moved by the tender fervency with which he said them, she was. When he moved to take her into his arms again, this time she let him. He peppered soft kisses over her cheek, lingering at the corner of her mouth until she turned her lips into his. "I was a jerk tonight," he whispered. "I'm sorry. I was excited to show you…" He fell into abrupt silence. "It doesn't matter. I shouldn't have pushed."

"It's okay," she told him, though the uneasy feeling that had settled in her chest had not abated at all, "Maybe you can show me some other night…that is if I ever see the light of day again." She tried not to shiver when he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Right now, I just want to go home."

When Kya dragged herself through the front door an hour later, she wasn't at all surprised to find her parents in the living room frantically pacing the floor. However, the second she stepped into the threshold, they froze. Suddenly, Kya was overcome with the urge to cry.

"Sorry I worried you," she managed only seconds before both her parents were embracing her on both sides, "I…I kn-know you m-must be f-furious…"

"I'm just glad you're okay," Katara choked, "We didn't know if you were going to come home."

"Is _he_ outside right now?" Aang demanded, looking very much like he would gladly do Alignak bodily harm right then.

Kya shook her head, very much taken aback by her usually mild-mannered father's almost feral growl. "He's gone home already. I told him I could get myself back to the island."

"He didn't even have the decency to see you to the door?" her father snorted.

"It's what I wanted," Kya said, "I know I messed up tonight and I totally have whatever punishment you can think of coming. But I just needed to say that…I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Mom, and I'm sorry, Dad. I shouldn't have worried you by sneaking out like I did. It will never happen again."

Immediately both of her parents detected the odd change in her demeanor and it alarmed them. "Kya," Katara whispered, "Are you okay? Did something happen tonight?"

"No!" she answered a little too quickly, "I'm tired. That's all. I'm going to go to bed now."

"Okay then," Aang replied in helpless response, "we'll talk more in the morning and decide what your punishment should be then."

With their worried stares still boring into her back, Kya trudged to her room and flopped down on her bed with a groaning sigh. She felt an odd sense of dread, a discontentment with herself that she couldn't quite pinpoint the reason for…the vague sense that she'd gotten herself into a situation that she was ill-prepared to handle. Frustrated and confused and valiantly trying to banish the hateful words Alignak had spoken to her from her mind, she rolled from her bed and began stripping out of her clothes. Despite her best efforts, however, her thoughts inevitably meandered back to the night's events. It was only when she went to reach for her nightgown, shuddering with the remembrance of Alignak's features twisted with rage, that she finally noticed it.

The finger shaped imprint that had gradually begun to darken the skin of her upper arm.

**~To Be Continued~**


	16. Unraveling

**Unraveling **

"I have urgent business with the Avatar."

When the unfamiliar baritone voice sounded from somewhere behind him, Aang stopped mid-step and suppressed the urge to groan aloud in reluctant resignation. Under normal circumstances, those who wished to see him were usually only permitted to do so by appointment. However, it was known by all that Aang would turn no one away who needed to see him, which tended to lengthen his days considerably when he was serving at the Council. He usually wouldn't leave for home until each person had their individual problem addressed. However, on this particular day Aang was literally five minutes away from freedom and he was in more than the usual hurry to get home.

Stamping down his irritation at being frustrated in those efforts, Aang sucked in a deep breath, fixed a genial smile on his lips, pivoted to face the newcomer…and completely forgot what he was going to say. Though she was still a considerable distance down the corridor and she wore a dark blue, hooded cloak that shadowed a good portion of her face, Aang would have recognized Katara anywhere. He grinned at her. She pushed her hood from her head and grinned back.

"Hello, Avatar Aang. Long time no see."

Technically, it had barely been four full days but in many ways the separation had felt like an eternity. There was still some lingering tension between Katara and Aang when she had been unexpectedly summoned for White Lotus business in the Earth Kingdom. Given that the Society members were aware of Katara's unique circumstances, she was often given the option of begging off if conditions didn't permit her coming to their immediate aid. Taking into account her current domestic situation, Katara had seriously considered using that option.

It wasn't necessarily that her family was in turmoil. A relative measure of peace had fallen over the house. Since Kya's last rebellious act of sneaking out with Alignak, home life had become rather quiet and uneventful. Yet, there was a pervading gloom, a strange ominous cloud that seemed to hang over Katara's household. While Kya was no longer in the throes of teenage defiance, her sudden reserved and diffident attitude was equally as troubling as the former had been.

Katara might have been inclined to write her behavior off as sulking over being forbidden to see Alignak _if_ Kya hadn't been so reluctant to discuss what happened the night she snuck out with him. And although it had taken a considerable amount of will, Katara had resisted the impulse to push her about it. But she was worried and scared for her daughter. The haunted sadness that she sometimes spied in Kya's eyes when the teen was too preoccupied to notice her scrutiny only heightened Katara's fear.

And then there was Aang. Their fight in the kitchen that day Kya snuck out had been one of the worst they'd had in years. Katara had known that she had hurt him deeply with the things she had said to him, words that she had spoken out of frustration rather than veracity. Yet, in an effort to lighten her burden, Aang had tried to give her the very thing for which she had asked despite the fact that she had wounded him emotionally. He made an effort to establish himself as the disciplinarian…and a scanty three hours later they discovered that their daughter had disappeared.

In the awful few hours that followed, neither Aang nor Katara had been sure they would ever see Kya again. They didn't know where she was. They didn't know whom she was with…though they had their suspicions. They knew of only one place that the young man might frequent, yet a search of the probending arena had yielded nothing. Afterwards, they returned home even more frightened and dejected than they had been at first, not at all certain that Kya would return home at all. It had been a horrible time full of silent agony.

Aang had never vocally blamed her for Kya's disappearance that night, but Katara could feel the accusation in his body language and the things he left unsaid. He had spoken in clipped sentences, rarely making eye contact with her as they grimly contemplated their next move. That night they had paced on opposite sides of the living room and it had felt as if they were separated by emotional and physical space alike. After Kya finally returned, the unnamed awkwardness between them eased a bit, but Aang continued to hold himself with guarded tentativeness around her.

Katara had known that they needed to clear the air between them but it felt like the Universe was conspiring to frustrate every attempt she made to do so. If Aang wasn't busy tending to his numerous Avatar duties or serving as mediator between their squabbling sons, then Katara was preoccupied with day to day concerns, housework, kid work…namely coaxing her teenage daughter out of her funk _and_ frantically preparing for an impending litter of sky bison that were due any day now. Of course, just when an opportunity to corner Aang presented itself, Katara had to put off the inevitable talk yet again to attend to urgent White Lotus business.

She hadn't wanted to go at all. It wasn't a good time by any means. Katara couldn't help but harbor the secret fear that the moment she left home everything that had been left tenuously standing would swiftly collapse once she departed. Consequently, she had been all set to refuse the assignment, but her husband and daughter had both insisted that she go, citing that they were more than capable of taking care of the boys and the home in her absence.

At the time, Katara had suspected it was a matter of pride for them both. Kya wanted desperately to prove to her mother that she was fine and happy and definitely the same old Kya. But Katara was not buying it. Aang, on the other hand, was desperate to prove to Katara that he was a competent father, a fact that filled Katara with untold amounts of guilt because her thoughtless words had even put him into a position where he felt he needed to prove that. In the end she had gone on the mission to spare them both further emotional pain because Katara knew that they would probably take it personally if she stayed. However, the entire time she had been away Katara's mind had remained steadfastly on her family.

Aang quickly closed the distance between them to embrace her. "How was your trip? When did you get back?"

"The trip was long and lonely," Katara sighed, contented beyond belief to be in his arms even if for a brief amount of time. When he stepped back, however, she actually sighed in regret. "I only arrived back in Republic City two minutes ago. I landed Ceba out in the courtyard and came straight here to you." When Aang appeared to struggle with an immediate response to that, Katara asked him, "You're almost finished up here, aren't you? I thought maybe we could catch some dinner and talk a little."

The suggestion seemed to fluster him even more. "You don't want to go home first?"

She hugged him again, this time pressing her cheek to his chest and lingering there. "I want to be with you. I missed you."

Having never been immune to the joy of having her in his arms, Aang tucked her closer against him and rested his cheek against the top of her head. "I missed you too, Katara," he whispered.

Katara tipped back her head to regard him with an earnest stare. "We need to talk, you know."

"About Kya?" he wrongly assumed.

"About you and me," Katara clarified softly, "About what I said to you the other week…"

Almost immediately Aang tensed with the reminder and a moment later he shrugged away from her entirely. "We don't have to rehash it, Katara. You were right. I need to be more firm with the children and I'm working on that."

"I never should have brought your abilities as a father into it," she interjected in a quiet tone, "That was so wrong and…and if I made you feel inadequate in any way, I'm so sorry, Aang. I do not and I have _never_ found you lacking as a parent. I've felt horrible about the things I said this entire time."

He cast her a sideways glance, his expression filled with wary vulnerability. "Then why did you say them?"

"It's not always so fun being the stick in the mud," Katara mumbled.

His reaction to that veered somewhere between confusion and incredulity. "What?"

"Even when we were kids, Aang," she went on in confession, "I didn't like it. I didn't like being the one who constantly made the rules. You, Toph and Sokka were always having fun and I was always the one to spoil it."

"That's not true."

Katara blinked back the tears gathering in her eyes. "It is true," she insisted, "You know it is. And now it's the same way with the kids. You're the cool parent and I'm the one who ruins everybody's good time."

"More like you're the one who keeps it all from descending into chaos." A moment later she felt herself being tugged back into Aang's embrace and she knew the second his arms went around her that all was forgiven. "I'm glad you enforce the rules, Katara," he whispered, "Someone needs to set the boundaries and keep us from falling apart. And that's what you do…you hold our family together."

She tucked her face into his shirt front, tears leaking from her eyes as much from his sweet words as her emotional unburdening moments earlier. "I love you, Aang," she mumbled as he turned her face up for his kiss.

"And I love you."

* * *

"How long are you going to give me the silent treatment?"

Kya heaved a mighty sigh; set aside the basket filled with vegetables for their hungry sky bison and turned around to regard her 12 year old brother with a neutral expression. "I'm not giving you the silent treatment, Bumi. I'm busy."

That wasn't completely untrue either. In the past few minutes, Kya had gathered enough food and water for seven hungry sky bison, two of which were expecting babies any day. She had also gathered the tools to bathe them all as well since shedding season was upon them. She definitely had her hands full with plenty of work. However, that didn't change the fact that she was using that work as a convenient excuse to do exactly what Bumi had accused her of…to give him the silent treatment.

Since that night he had revealed her relationship with Alignak to their parents, interactions between Kya and Bumi had been more antagonistic than usual. However, after a rather edifying discussion with his mother, Bumi had come to realize that what he had done to Kya that night had been very wrong. Katara had helped him to understand that, while the truth needed to be exposed, the way he had done that exposing had not been necessary. She had insisted that he apologize to Kya as soon as possible and Bumi had readily complied.

It was unfortunate for him that his sister was _not_ in a forgiving mood and having none of it. Still, the young man persisted because his parents had taught him long ago that if something was truly important one should never stop fighting for it. And for Bumi, no matter how much they fought and bickered, his relationship with his older sister was extremely important. Consequently, he would not let himself be deterred by her claims that she was "busy" nor would he stop seeking her forgiveness.

"I'm not stupid, Kya. That's the same thing Mom tells Dad when he's done something to annoy her," Bumi pointed out stubbornly, "I know you're still mad at me, so why don't you just yell at me and get it over with?"

"I'm not mad," she said, but the flashing in her eyes said otherwise. In the background, even Appa bellowed his disbelief over that. Kya threw him a warning glance. "Nobody asked you."

"You know I didn't mean to get you in trouble," Bumi insisted. Kya responded to that with a dubious snort. Bumi dropped his head forward with a rueful sigh and amended, "Well, not that kind of trouble anyway. I didn't know it would get this bad. I was just doing what we always do."

Kya leaned against the wooden façade of their animal stall, the hostility abruptly draining from her pretty features with his explanation. "I know you were," she sighed. "The truth is…I guess I'm angrier with myself than I am with you."

Bumi stared at her blankly, clearly unable to decipher her cryptic response. "Soo…does that mean you're _not_ ticked at me anymore?"

"Yeah, you're good," she laughed humorlessly, "It doesn't matter anyway. The truth would have come out eventually. I never should have lied."

"I still shouldn't have squealed on you. That's not how it should be between us. You're my sister."

"Yeah well…I torture you enough so I guess I had it coming, right?"

Bumi regarded her with earnest gray eyes. "I don't want you to hate me," he admitted in a meek tone.

It was his show of uncharacteristic vulnerability that moved Kya more than anything else. "I could never hate you, ferret face," she replied, tugging him by the collar into a sisterly hug, "You get under my skin better than anyone can and one day I'm definitely going to freeze you to the roof of the house and leave you there for the birds, but…you're my brother and nothing will ever change that."

As if on cue, Tenzin peeked around the corner, his expression adorably innocent. "What about me?" he asked, "Don't I get a hug too?"

Kya couldn't suppress her small huff of laughter. "Oh, why not? Get over here, future master arrowhead."

The seven year old happily skipped forward to be included in their sibling group hug. Kya sighed, feeling strangely content and balanced in that moment. It was the least troubled that she had felt in days. To have that unforeseen bit of comfort come from her exasperating younger brothers was an astounding but welcome surprise. When both Tenzin and Bumi finally released her, Kya felt a little saddened by the loss.

"So do you want us to help you?" Tenzin asked, indicating the small group of sky bison directly behind her. "We can give them their baths after you're done feeding them."

Kya shook her head. "I can take care of this alone. We might get them agitated and that's not such a good idea with the babies coming. You two should go play. I'll be fine."

Bumi slanted a mischievous smile over at Tenzin. "We can play soaring eagle!" he exclaimed, "I'll go get my glider!"

"How is 'soaring eagle' fun for me?" Tenzin grumbled as they trotted off together, "I'm on the ground blasting air beneath you while you get to do all the flying."

"Well, duh…who's the airbender here? It's not my fault you drew the short straw. Take it up with Mom and Dad."

Kya stood for a moment, smiling faintly as she watched their retreat, listening to the sound of their dwindling argument. However, the instant they were out of sight and earshot, Kya's smile abruptly faded. Wanting to avoid being inundated with feelings that she wasn't yet ready to confront, Kya determinedly pushed her inner turmoil aside and resumed her work. She welcomed the task because keeping busy helped to distract her from the constant confusion rolling around inside her.

She missed Alignak…and she didn't. In the past few months, she had grown accustomed to his companionship. She enjoyed being the object of someone's romantic affections. Kya had often observed the way her father looked at her mother and she couldn't deny that she wanted that for herself. She wanted a man to stare at her with his whole heart in his eyes. She wanted to know that she was the only woman he could see…the only woman he _wanted_ to see. But she had also wanted the opportunity to return such devotion, to love someone as deeply and truly as her mother loved her father.

For a time she had believed that Alignak would be that man, but reality and fantasy were two very different things. Kya was slowly coming to realize that the Alignak in her head and the Alignak in actuality had very little in common. She had always known that he was flawed and troubled and harbored a dark, wounded part of himself. How could he not? As a boy he and his family had struggled financially and emotionally in the wake of his father's death. Were it not for Yakone's benevolence they might have been thrown out into the streets or worse.

Understandably then, Alignak was incredibly defensive when it came to the man. Kya had learned early on in their relationship to avoid the subject of Yakone entirely because she knew that her family and Alignak had opposing views of the man. But sometimes disagreements between them were inevitable and the fierceness of Alignak's responses during those times had frightened Kya. He was quick to blow up in a rage, but then he was equally quick to calm down.

For that reason, Kya made allowances for his volatile temper. She explained away his explosive nature as a by-product from a painful childhood. What he needed was patience and understanding, not judgment and ridicule. Kya couldn't bring herself to abandon him. In a sense, he needed healing which was something that appealed to her very nature. She was drawn by the idealistic notion of fixing what was broken inside of him. Recently, however, Kya had begun to wonder if that was even possible.

While part of her did want to see him again, if for no other reason than to have closure, another part of her was content with never seeing him again. On the rare occasions when she was in the city, Kya went to extreme measures to avoid bumping into him at all. Knowing his usual hangouts, it wasn't a difficult thing to do either. The actions were expected given her parents' feelings on Alignak, yet Kya couldn't lay the blame completely on them. It was true that they had forbidden her to see him and that any attempt she made to break that edict would likely be met with swift punishment, but it wasn't fear of raising her parents' ire that caused Kya to go out of her way to evade him. It was fear of Alignak himself.

Shuddering over having admitted that truth to herself for the first time ever, Kya set aside the brush she had been using to groom Appa and leaned heavily against a nearby post. She emitted a low, self-effacing groan and bent forward to brace her hands against her knees, waiting for the shaking in her limbs to subside. Two hours of sweating in the languishing sun had done little to banish the dark thoughts that had plagued her for days. She ended up obsessing over them anyway. Frustrated with herself, Kya didn't even realize she was crying until Appa's large tongue lumbered forth in a slobbery lick of comfort. She choked out a wry laugh and turned to bury her face in his furry flank.

"Thanks for that, Appa," she murmured, "I can always count on you to make me feel better, boy."

"And what about me?" came an unexpected voice from behind, "Do I make you feel better, Kya?"

Kya sucked in a sharpened breath, her heart beginning a deep maddened thumping as she slowly pivoted towards him. Even knowing that he was behind her didn't lessen the shock of seeing him standing there. Though she had difficulty finding the words, she somehow managed to whisper, "What are you doing here, Alignak?"

He smiled at her. "Isn't it obvious? I came to see you."

* * *

Dinner began as a fawning affair.

As usual, whenever Aang and Katara went anywhere in public they both attracted a great deal of attention. It was an inconvenience that the couple had resigned themselves to many years ago. But the constant awareness they caused in the general public wasn't something either of them welcomed…especially when all they really wanted was solitude in order to enjoy one another's company. However, once the attendant had finally guided them past the crowded dining room to the private table set aside exclusively for them, Aang and Katara were, at last, able to enjoy some semblance of privacy.

"Order whatever you want," Aang invited Katara with a soft smile, "It's a special occasion."

She drew her brows together in a questioning frown. "And what occasion is that? It's not either of our birthdays and our anniversary is still some months off."

Aang's smile widened. "You're home again. What could be more special than that?"

Katara ducked her head in response, but the action wasn't enough to conceal the color blooming on her cheeks. "I told you I hate it when you do that."

"And I told you that I'm never going to stop doing it." Aang shrugged noncommittally. "What are you going to do?"

With one final eye roll that was clearly a cover for her answering smile, Katara said, "So tell me what I missed while I was gone. The babies haven't come yet, have they?"

"Not yet. But any day now. I promised Tenzin that he could name the litter so he wouldn't be so jealous about Bumi getting his own sky bison."

"How very diplomatic of you," she teased him. However, her light-hearted smile faded a few seconds later when she asked in a more solemn tone, "And Kya? Is she any better?"

"Nope. She's still moping around the house." Aang nibbled his lip in pensive consideration. "I would probably chalk it up to the fact that she's missing that boy but… I can't shake the feeling that something else is going on with her."

"I can't either."

"Do you think something happened between them the night she snuck out?" Aang wondered aloud.

Katara surveyed him with careful look. "Do you?"

"Honestly? I don't really want to think about what I think happened," he sighed, "I was a teenage boy once, Katara. I remember very well what used to be on my mind almost constantly back then…and it had nothing to do with my responsibilities as the Avatar." Katara refrained from pointing out the fact that it was _still_ on his mind constantly when he finished, almost as if reading her thoughts, "You were just as bad. You used to sneak into my bed after Sokka fell asleep. We weren't innocent in the slightest."

"You're right. I guess that's a possibility with Kya and maybe we sh—,"

"—I don't want to talk about it," Aang interjected a little wildly, "If that's what's going on then I _definitely_ don't want to talk about it!" He closed his eyes, looking queasy with the mere thought. "Please can we _not_ talk about it?"

"—But I don't think that is what's going on," Katara finished on a dry bubble of laughter. "You can rest easy."

Aang deflated in relief. "Okay well, if it's not _that_ then what do you think is going on with her?"

However, before Katara could even begin to voice her theory on the matter, their secluded nook at the rear of the restaurant was suddenly invaded by an unwelcome guest. Yakone approached their table with a feline smile while Aang and Katara gritted their teeth with barely concealed contempt. "Avatar Aang," he greeted with a cordial nod, "Master Katara. When I heard that you two were back here, I just had to stop by and extend my greetings. I have my own private table just on the other side of the divide."

"Purchased with your ill-gotten gains no doubt," Katara replied with artificial sweetness.

Yakone pressed his hands over his heart in a wounded gesture. "It hurts my feelings that you have such a low opinion of me, Master Katara and after I've given back so much to this city."

"If only that equaled the amount you've taken from it," Katara retorted.

"What do you want, Yakone?" Aang demanded flatly, "My wife and I are in the middle of dinner."

"Pardon my interruption, Avatar," Yakone returned in a smooth tone that was distinctly laced with malice despite his polite veneer, "I only wished to express my regret over not seeing your pretty daughter in the arena lately. Her presence has been greatly missed. I've noticed how close she and Alignak have become in the last few months and I've been pleased. She's been quite a positive influence on the boy. His bending has improved considerably and, lately, he's become virtually unbeatable in the arena."

"Well, I'm afraid _'the boy'_ is going to have to find some other inspiration," Katara informed him tartly, "because Kya will no longer be seeing him."

Yakone's eyes gleamed with a knowing smile. "I'm sorry to hear that. Was that her choice…_or yours_?"

"What does it matter?" Aang ground out with snapping impatience, "The relationship is over. She won't be stepping foot in your arena ever again."

"You never know…you just might live to regret those words," Yakone murmured in hanging threat as he turned towards the exit, "…That's the funny thing about young love. It doesn't always die out just because you want it to." He favored them with a parting glance over his shoulder. "Who knows? You both just might end up pushing your daughter deeper into Alignak's world…_and mine_."

* * *

Although it took a few moments for Kya to regain her composure, she resolutely fixed her countenance into an unreadable mask as she regarded Alignak. "You shouldn't be here," she told him.

"I had to come. I needed to see you." He stepped closer but Kya retreated. Disappointed by her reaction but not deterred, Alignak reached out his hand in entreaty. "Kya, don't be this way."

"My father will be home soon," she warned him, nodding over towards the horizon where the sun was only fractions away from disappearing entirely, "If he finds you here…" She left the sentence hanging, but her unspoken implication was crystal clear.

Alignak shook his head in disagreement. "He won't be back for a while. I saw him leaving the Council building earlier with your mom. They looked like they wanted some alone time together."

Kya barely absorbed the shock of learning that her mother had returned from the Earth Kingdom before the implication of what he was telling her began to dawn. "What? Are you spying on my parents or something?"

"I wanted to speak to your father," he told her, "I was hoping to convince him to lift this ridiculous ban he has on us seeing each other." She must have appeared less than enthused by that idea because a moment later he was asking, "That _is_ what you want, isn't it, Kya?"

"I don't know…" she mumbled.

His straight, black brows snapped together in a frown. "What do you mean 'you don't know?'"

"Exactly what I said," Kya reiterated more strongly. "I've had a lot of time to think the last few days, Alignak, and I think it would be best if you and I took a break for a little while."

"A break?" he parroted blankly. "Is this because of what I said to you the other night…what I said about your dad?"

"This is about the fact that you and I don't share the same ideals," Kya said, "You're obviously full of a lot of bitterness and hatred and a good portion of that seems to be directed towards my father. You can't expect me to be okay with that, can you?"

"So I say something you don't like and you just blow me off?" he scoffed, "What about all the things you've said about Yakone? What about the way your family talks about him like he's a common criminal? How is that any different?"

"Maybe it's not different. Maybe that's further proof that we don't need to be together."

"Kya, don't say that," he whispered, "You have to know that you're the most important person to me in the world." He caught hold of her hand and pulled her back when she tried to turn away. "I meant what I said to you the other night. I love you. I want to be with you."

"Why are you making this so hard on me?" she lamented in a tiny voice.

"I think it's supposed to be hard," he said, drawing her closer, "when you're in love."

However, before he could kiss her into acquiesce, Kya stepped back at the last moment and whirled away, careful to put a safe amount of distance between them. "Does that mean that you're sorry for the things you said about my dad the other night?" she asked him.

"Your dad?" he balked, "What does _he_ have to do with this? Kya, I'm talking about you and me right now."

"I'm asking you!" she insisted vehemently, "Are you sorry about what you said?"

He glared at her in silence for a moment before his temper exploded. "No! No, I'm not sorry because not a single word I said about him was untrue! Wake up! Your dad is a coward, Kya, and your mother is a traitor to her own people for siding with him and the Firelord!"

Kya's eyes welled with tears of infuriated hurt and her water snaked out with punishing force, lashing him across the cheek with a reverberating snap. They met each other's glittering stares in the falling darkness. "Get off our island and don't ever come back," she ordered him coldly, "I never want to see you again."

"What? The spoiled little princess can't handle the truth?" he taunted, "You don't want to hear about how the Water Tribes still live in squalor while your parents and the Firelord are living comfortably? You don't want to know about how the Fire Nation spent 100 years dominating the entire world and weren't punished for a bit of it? You and your family might live out here in your own private paradise, but that's not the way the rest of the world is, Kya!"

"Well, if I'm such a spoiled and ignorant princess, why do you care about me at all?" she flashed back.

"I'm trying to make you _see_! I'm trying to get you to open your eyes!"

"To what?" she cried.

"To how great the Water Tribes could be! To how great you and I could be together! There's a change coming, Kya…a new empire that will be forged under a new regime and there won't be any room for Fire Nation sympathizers. You can become a part of that. You can become more powerful than you ever imagined!"

"I'm not interested in having power…or building a new regime or whatever it is you're talking about," Kya said, "All I want right now is for you to leave."

Kya turned her back on him then, concentrating on cleaning up the remnants from her earlier animal care. She staunchly ignored the fact that he continued to linger outside the stall watching her every move. Appa stomped and bellowed, instinctively sensing Kya's agitation but she soothed the ten ton beast with calming nuzzles. "I'm okay, Appa. I'm okay," she whispered, "I can handle him just fine."

She started to rethink that position half an hour later, though, when she picked up her two empty water buckets and headed for the house with Alignak close on her heels. Underneath her veneer of indifference Kya was growing progressively more agitated over the fact it was taking her father so long to return home. Usually she liked having her run of the house in her parents' absence, but with Alignak being so persistent and so blithely ignoring her edict to leave, Kya wished quite fervidly that her mother was there.

But, if Alignak was telling the truth and her mother had returned that evening, there was no telling when her parents would come home. She wouldn't be surprised if they eventually sent word that they planned to stay overnight in the city. Kya groaned inwardly with the thought. And though she technically wasn't left without protection on the island, the idea of running to the air acolytes for aid in ridding herself of a pushy ex-boyfriend made Kya feel childish and foolish. She didn't want to give off the impression that she couldn't handle her own problems.

Besides that, it was getting late. The pale, full moon was already beginning to ascend high into the darkening blue-violet sky. If she wanted Alignak to leave the island, _she_ would have to be the one to make him do it. Kya squared her shoulders in preparation to do just that.

Temper blazing, Kya threw down the buckets and rounded on him. "What part of 'go home' are you failing to understand?" she snapped.

"The part where I don't believe that you really want me to go," he countered softly, "I don't want it to end this way between us."

"I don't care what you want," she muttered obstinately.

Within seconds, his mood shifted again from cajoling and gentle to snarling and impatient. "Sometimes I think you're too stubborn for your own good," he hissed, "I'm trying to give you something special!"

"Something special?" she scoffed, "You mean _you_? I'll pass. Go away, Alignak!"

"You know…you're going to regret rejecting me this way," he warned her grimly.

Kya rolled her eyes. "I seriously doubt it."

However, as she bent to retrieve her buckets with the full intention of leaving him there, an odd sensation suddenly came over her body. She felt a constriction in her limbs, an unfamiliar pressure building in her chest. It tightened and tightened and tightened until she found herself straightening under the power of an unseen force. And as her body snapped back, seized by a rigid contracture, Kya realized with dawning horror just what was happening. Suspended in mid-air, she was rotated around to face him. Blue eyes round with fear collided with blue eyes dark with malevolence.

"You see…" Alignak whispered menacingly, "…I told you that you'd regret it."

**~To Be Continued~**


	17. The Moon Has a Dark Side

**The Moon Has a Dark Side**

"I was just on my way to find you."

As Aang and Katara rushed out from the restaurant, their appetite for dinner lost after their confrontation with Yakone, Toph intercepted them on their way to retrieve Ceba and head home. However, Aang and Katara were put on instant alert with the urgency they detected in Toph's tone. Although she was very rarely ruffled, it was impossible not to notice that the police chief's cool exterior was visibly shaken. She loosely snagged hold of Aang's robes and Katara's cloak and led them both further away from the restaurant entrance, out of earshot from milling passersby.

Once they had gained some measure of privacy, she turned to Aang and emphasized in a low tone, "We need to talk right now. Sokka's already over at the Council building waiting for us to arrive."

"We were about to head home for the night, Toph," Aang said, "It's getting late. Can't we discuss this first thing tomorrow morning?"

"It can't wait, Aang," Toph insisted.

"But Katara and I really need to g—,"

Before he could complete the argument, Katara pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Aang, it's alright. You should stay," she told him, "Duty calls. I'll just head home without you."

"What?" Aang lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper as he added, "Katara? I thought you and I were going to…you know…_'make amends'_ tonight." Somewhere off to his left, Toph released a serrated groan of disgust making it quite evident that she'd heard every word.

Biting back a smile, Katara plucked Aang by the sleeve and scooted a bit further out of Toph's earshot, not that it really mattered all that much. "We'll 'make amends' later," she promised, "This is more important. Go ahead and take care of business. I'll go home and see about the kids. It's probably for the best anyway. There's no telling what anarchy has ensued in our absence."

"Are you sure?"

Katara bobbed a nod. "I'll leave Ceba with you and take the ferry over to the island. It'll be fine."

"Or…" he countered drolly, "You can always stay and we'll go home together."

"Let's see…an evening with Toph or an evening with our children." She made a pensive face as she pretended to think it over. "I guess when you put it that way it doesn't seem like much of a choice," she laughed wryly, "but it's probably better that I get home and take care of the children. Besides, as crazy as they can be, I've really missed them and I want to go home."

"Okay. You win. Kiss them goodnight for me."

"I will."

After one last lingering kiss and a goodbye to Toph, Aang flagged down an ostrich-horse drawn carriage to bear Katara safely to the harbor. They kissed again while Toph impatiently huffed and grunted behind them. Unperturbed by the earthbender's obvious displeasure, Katara nuzzled yet another kiss across Aang's lips.

"Try not to be too long," she whispered.

"I'll try," he told her, "Wait up for me." He watched until her carriage disappeared down the road and rounded the corner towards the waterfront before he turned to face Toph with a mixture of dread and frustration. "So what couldn't wait until morning?"

"I've gathered some new information on Yakone," she said, "You definitely want to hear this. If half of the information my intel has given me is true, he's more dangerous than we thought. Aang…" she huffed in evident anxiety, "…it's bad. It's really bad."

Aang digested that with a grim nod. "Okay. Let's get to the Council building and you can fill me in."

* * *

Kya was held suspended in Alignak's grip, every cell, every muscle and every blood vessel controlled by his sinister will. She felt sheer terror. Yet, in those elapsing few seconds her everlasting shock overwhelmed her fear and the exploding pain in her body. "Y-You're…You're a bloodbender!" she cried in disbelief as he levitated her body and drew her closer.

"I tried to show you…" he grated, "…tried to tell you! But you didn't want to hear it! You didn't appreciate my gift, Kya, and now look what's happened!"

She could feel his hold on her tightening dangerously, as if she were slowly being squeezed inside out. The physical agony he caused was tremendous. Reactive tears sprang to Kya's eyes. In that chilling moment, she didn't doubt that he would kill her.

"Please…" she rasped, "…stop this…"

His features crumpled with her broken plea and, while his grip loosened by a fraction, Alignak did not release her entirely. "I never wanted to hurt you, Kya. I love you. I wanted to share everything with you. Why wouldn't you let me? Why couldn't you see?" In an instant his sorrow was replaced with disgust. He sneered at her, building the pressure anew. "You're weak just like your parents!" he spat, "Yakone was right about you! I didn't want to believe him when he said that you were a loss, but he was right."

Kya could feel that she was within moments of blacking out, almost as if the oxygen flow to her brain was being thoroughly constricted. In all likelihood, it was. She didn't have a great deal of time. If she didn't act then Alignak would finish her off and, once he had, there was no telling the damage he would try to inflict on her unsuspecting parents. Bumi and Tenzin would be left defenseless. Kya was determined not to let that happen. She wouldn't let Alignak terrorize her family.

In a feat of incredible willpower and strength, the young waterbender managed to transport herself to a place beyond her body. Using the meditative exercises that her father had taught her from the moment she was old enough to toddle, Kya focused past the excruciating pain to the point where she was figuratively hovering above herself. She watched the macabre scene below her play out with detached coolness and then, without preamble, she reached back inside her own body and took mastery over it once more.

The instant she shook off Alignak's hold, Kya burst forth a punishing shower of glinting ice daggers even before her feet had made complete contact with the ground. He barely had time to shake off his shock at the incredible display of strength before he was swiftly crouching to cover himself under the battering assault of her zinging water attack. He threw up out a series of fierce punches, dissolving most of the spears into liquid before they could do him serious harm.

Kya quickly regrouped. She skated around him on a winding slide of ice, throwing out a gliding wave of frosty disks. She moved around him so quickly that her assault seemed to come from all sides, temporarily overwhelming him. He bent himself into a protective cavern of ice, which Kya used to her advantage. Only moments after he erected the glacial fortress, Kya was liquefying it. She wasted no time forming the water into a solid ball and then she sent it barreling towards him with all her might.

She didn't wait around to watch him go down. As soon as she heard his muffled grunt, Kya sprinted off in the opposite direction. She used her ice slide as a vehicle to gain momentum, her single goal being to put as much distance between her and Alignak as she possibly could. Even knowing what he was and what he wanted to do to her, Kya didn't want to hurt him. She didn't want to fight. She only wanted him to leave her alone.

Within a few seconds, he was back on her heels. She could hear the crackling freeze of ice as he attempted to keep up with her winding trajectory. He broke the integrity of her frosty slide, disintegrating it beneath her feet. But Kya refused to let his command of water slow her down.

Even without the aid of her rolling path of ice, Kya gracefully evaded his answering assault with the agility and speed of a gazelle. Using her environment to her advantage, Kya catapulted herself off whatever flat surface near her. She used the leverage she created to slip from underneath his watery blows, rebounding off walls with graceful leaps and soaring bounds as Alignak pursued her in relentless determination to pin her down.

Once again using water as mechanism of movement, Kya threw out another ice slide and made yet another veering turn. She had the half-formed intention of heading for the place where their father kept their gliders, where she knew her brothers would likely be. If she could reach them then they could all fly to the temple and alert the acolytes. She never made it more than a few steps in her retreat.

She froze mid-air as Alignak recaptured her in his bloodbending grip. Before Kya could begin to gather her strength to unfurl herself again, however, a sudden blast of air sheared from behind and caused Alignak to wobble on his feet. But he did not fall. He whipped a glance behind him. About six feet behind him stood Kya's younger brothers, both their young faces dark with protective fury. Far from intimidated, the bloodbender stubbornly held on to Kya.

"Leave her alone!" Bumi ordered, his fists tightening in readiness, "Drop her now!"

"Why don't you come over here and make me?" Alignak taunted, deliberately strengthening his hold. Kya jerked and twisted in his grasp as Tenzin and Bumi closed in for attack.

"Didn't you hear us?" Tenzin snarled, exploding out short blasts of air in a series of nimble kicks and punches, "We said LEAVE…" he created a roundhouse of pure wind, "…OUR…" the shearing force sliced into the protective ice shield Alignak threw up with punishing speed, "…SISTER…" he punctuated that last word with an assault so strong that he finally sent Alignak tumbling off his feet, "…ALONE!" With his grasp on her finally loosened, Kya crashed to the ground with a bone-rattling thud.

As soon as Alignak hit the ground and tried to lift an arm to regain his control, but Bumi pounced on him before he could get a hold. He flipped onto Alignak's back and landed a crushing elbow directly to the back of the young man's neck. Alignak howled with pain and reached up to yank Bumi overhead. As soon as the boy tumbled, he caught a fistful of Alignak's shirtfront so that their positions were reversed with Bumi on top.

Before Bumi could lift his arm to land a punch, Alignak caught hold of him in a blood grip and flung him aside as if he were little more than a sack of flour. He staggered to his feet, intent on going after Kya. He hadn't taken two steps before Bumi was up and attacking him again. This time, he caught hold of Bumi's dominant arm on an upward swing, intending to immobilize him permanently.

Alignak didn't anticipate that the 12 year old would be as equally dexterous with his left hand as he was right. Before he could execute a killing move, Bumi landed several well placed kicks and jabs to Alignak's torso and abdomen, finally bringing the bloodbender to his knees. Alignak collapsed to the ground with a muted groan. Once he was down, Bumi raced over to join Tenzin at a disoriented Kya's side.

"Kya, get up!" Bumi commanded brusquely, scooping up his reeling sister and forcing her to her feet just as Alignak began to rouse himself again. One glance at the dark fury gathering on the bloodbender's face chilled him to the bone. With Tenzin's help, he steadied Kya as much as possible and then the two began running, half dragging their sister behind them because wasn't yet alert enough to coordinate her limbs.

"Don't look back!" Bumi told Tenzin as they fled, "We gotta get to the gliders!"

* * *

"We finally have enough evidence to put Yakone away for life."

Aang took Sokka's dramatic pronouncement with a huge grain of salt. He leaned back in his chair with a noncommittal grunt. "No offense, Sokka, but haven't we had this conversation before?" he sighed, "For years we've been one step behind Yakone, thinking we had the goods on him only for him to weasel his way free before we could make the charges stick. What makes this time any different?"

"This time we have an informant from Yakone's inner circle and this person is willing to reveal all his dirty little secrets," Toph interjected. "In fact, he's already given us plenty and he'll provide plenty more if we can guarantee safety for him and his family."

"And what does this 'informant' have to say?" Aang asked with only a mild level of interest at best, "Who is he? What makes him so different from all the others?"

"He's different because he's in the center of this whole mess," Toph replied, "And I've checked him out, Aang, and his information is legit. I've promised him anonymity in exchange for his cooperation."

"Oh, how convenient," Aang snorted derisively, "And we trust this guy again why?"

"Well, for one thing, he's confirmed what we've suspected all along," Sokka said, "Yakone is the mastermind behind the bending Triads. It's his organization from top to bottom."

"But that's only scratching the surface. Yakone is up to his elbows in every shady dealing taking place in this city," Toph added, "Organized crime, gambling, prostitution… You name it, Aang? This guy's got his hand in it."

"So why not arrest him tonight?" Aang wondered.

"It's tricky," Toph replied, "Right now my informant is really close to the situation and it's pretty dangerous for him. We can't move on Yakone until we have all the pieces in place otherwise we'll lose the only witness we have."

"In the meantime, you won't believe the stuff we uncovered," Sokka interjected softly, "Yakone's a bad guy, but you'll never guess the motives that are driving him. He isn't only on a quest for money and power. In fact, that barely has anything to do with it. He wants to drag Republic City down and destroy it completely. He wants to make you and Zuko look like laughingstocks before the entire world by proving that your ideals for this city were founded on nonsense."

"You make it sound like a personal vendetta."

"It is," Toph confirmed grimly.

"Why would he care?" Aang snorted, "What could he possibly have to gain by making Zuko and me look bad?"

"A revolution," Toph said, "He's all about turning the world upside down and bending it to his will."

Aang blinked in blank bewilderment. "He's looking for a what now? You guys aren't making a bit of sense!"

Sokka leaned in closer. "Aang, listen to me. You and I both know that the world didn't heal overnight when the war ended."

"Of course it didn't," Aang agreed.

"And it's _still_ healing," Sokka emphasized, "Some parts of the Earth Kingdom and a good portion of the Water Tribes are taking longer than others and, in those certain parts, the Fire Nation is still very much hated."

Aang dragged his hands down the length of his face in an exasperated gesture. "But that's specifically why the White Lotus Society has been assisting with the reconstruction, which is being financed with the Fire Nation's money by the way," Aang argued, "I'm not oblivious to the work that still needs to be done and neither is Zuko."

"We're not accusing you of being oblivious," Toph retorted flatly, "We're telling you that there are people in this world who hate your guts and they are going to hate your guts no matter what you do. We're telling you that there are people who still feel that the Fire Nation hasn't paid for the war. We're telling you that there are some people that think that what our world needs to heal completely is a new world power."

"And you're saying that person is Yakone?"

"He's trying to build an army, Aang," Sokka revealed softly.

"An army? What are you talking about?"

"Look, we've suspected for a long time that Yakone is a bloodbender," Toph said, "My informant confirms that. He says that Yakone is skilled and proficient. But that's only one piece of this whole thing. He isn't the only one. Yakone has been using probending as a front to recruit other waterbenders to teach them technique."

"That's his army, Aang," Sokka confirmed direly, "He's stirring up hatred and patriotism in these young Water Tribe kids who come from nothing and then he's teaching them what could be argued as the most feared form of bending there is. Could you imagine an army of bloodbenders out there, Aang? How would we stop them? That's what we're talking about here. We're not just dealing with one Yakone. We're dealing with dozens."

"Wait a minute. Did you say probending?" Aang whispered, a chill shivering up his spine with that startling revelation. He glanced over at Toph. "Are you sure that he's been using the probenders? How do you know this for sure?"

"Like I mentioned, our informant is a part of his inner circle. He's one of Yakone's recruits, Aang, and his older brother happens to be one of Yakone's prodigies," she said, "In fact, his team is quite popular with the crowds…I think they're called the Water Weevils or…"

"…the Water _Wombats_," Sokka corrected helpfully, "Not that I watch those matches or anything."

As Sokka and Toph continued their usual banter neither of them noticed that Aang was practically hyperventilating. The boy they were referencing was undoubtedly Alignak. Only a week before, he had confirmed his team name to Aang and Katara over dinner. To realize that he was so deeply entrenched in Yakone's organization and also equally involved with Kya made Aang feel sick to his stomach. There was no telling what kind of propaganda his daughter had been exposed to…or what she had seen. Suddenly her strange behavior over the last few days began to take on an entirely new meaning…an ominous one.

Aang felt hot and clammy and terrified. It wasn't a feeling unlike the one he had when Katara had been taken by the water spirit. Dread had formed a cold, heavy lump in the pit of his belly. He could barely understand Toph's words over the violent rush of blood pounding in his eardrums.

"Apparently, it is this boy's job to find fresh waterbenders for Yakone and bring them aboard with the lure of becoming a probender," she explained.

"Once Yakone has them in his grasp, all he had left to do was to indoctrinate them with his hate filled ideals and afterwards he had the perfect receptacle for a bloodbending soldier…a mini him," Sokka said, "It would actually be pretty ingenious if it weren't so diabolical."

"Sounds like Ozai," Aang mumbled.

"He practically _is_ Ozai," Sokka agreed, "Just without the crown. He wants to bring the Water Tribes to power the same way Sozin brought the Fire Nation to power. I love my people and everything, but I can't condone anything like that."

"My source says he isn't exactly sure how many waterbenders have been recruited but he's never met one who didn't share Yakone's beliefs," Toph revealed, "Anyone in that position would probably start to think that Yakone had a point with so much unanimous support…but then, a few days ago, he overheard his brother and Yakone talking about some female waterbender who had turned out to be a 'disappointment and how she was 'no longer of any use to them.'

"After that my informant became frightened," she went on, "He says his brother has been acting erratic ever since and that's the reason he finally decided to come to us with what he knew. He's worried that Yakone has given his brother some kind of orders to…to exterminate this other waterbender."

Having heard more than enough, Aang surged to his feet. "I gotta go," he said, already darting towards the door with little more explanation than that.

"Hey, where are you going?" Sokka cried in exasperation, "Aang! We're in a meeting here!"

Aang didn't break his stride at all as he answered over his shoulder, "That girl waterbender you were just talking about a moment ago? I think it might be Kya!"

* * *

Their escape was impeded by a series of stops and starts.

Under normal circumstances three to one would have been favorable odds. Unfortunately, those odds didn't factor in an opponent with the ability to reach inside the body and command it at will. Under those circumstances, three to one became a hindrance rather than an advantage. Once Alignak became aware that Kya could free herself from his bloodbending grip, he invariably began to focus his attention on her younger brothers.

And so their rebounding flight became punctuated by moments of outright terror when Bumi and Tenzin were caught in Alignak's sinister vise. He yanked them about as if they were little more than ragdolls, flinging them into rocks and trees alike. Kya did what she could, battling like an enraged warrior to subdue Alignak by any means she could. Her bending was strong, but so was his and nothing she did to immobilize him, whether by ice shackles or daggers, managed to hold him for very long. And, with each subsequent assault, Tenzin and Bumi grew a little less lucid, a little more sluggish… Kya deeply feared the damage Alignak was inflicting on their still developing bodies.

In Alignak's dogged pursuit of them, he had deliberately driven them further and further away from the house and temple, so that they were now cornered between him and the edge of a very steep precipice. Kya bent forth a towering wave of water from the churning sea below and held it aloft in blatant threat as Alignak held both her brothers suspended mid-air on either side of her. They writhed and twisted, their limbs popping and bending grotesquely.

Kya stood trembling, her face streaked with tears and dark with hatred, clothes tattered and hair hopelessly tangled and windswept. "Let them go, Alignak!" Kya cried, "I don't want to have to kill you, but I will!"

"You don't have the guts," he taunted her. "We both know you don't have it in you to hurt anyone, Kya!"

"Then let them go," she pleaded, "This is between you and me." She whimpered at the sound of her brothers' pained mewling. "Please…leave them out of it."

"I can't do that."

Kya's upper lip curled in warning, the arcing shield of water above her head beginning to unfurl. "Then you leave me no choice…"

"If you attack me then there's nothing to stop me from throwing them both over the edge! What are you going to do then? Even if you can live with my blood on your hands, can you live with theirs?"

She knew she didn't have a choice anymore. He wasn't leaving her with any other options. And so, Kya did the only thing she could do…she attacked and she did so with deadly force. Water surged forward, freezing into a solid sliver of ice meant to cleave him in two at the precise moment Alignak thrust out his arms and pitched Tenzin and Bumi over the side. As Kya scrambled to the edge with a low scream to bend up a bed of water to cushion them before they could fall into the murky depths below, Alignak disintegrated her ice sheet into nothingness. Mere seconds after Kya managed to safely bend her brothers onto a narrow ledge only a few dozen feet above the pitching sea, Alignak's shadow fell over her. She twisted around to stare up at him with fearful eyes.

His lips curved in a chilling smile. "Looks like it's just me and you now."

However, the instant he started to reach for her Alignak's eyes flared wide and he froze in place with a short, stunned grunt. Kya watched with growing horror as the same force Alignak had used to command her and her brothers now seemed to suddenly overwhelm him. His forearm turned and contracted in abnormal, excruciating angles quickly followed by remaining limbs. His entire frame contorted in a gruesome, full-bodied seizure as he was forced around by a will not his own. It was then that Kya noticed her mother standing behind them, her cloak billowing loosely in the light wind, her wrathful features illuminated in the pale moonlight.

Kya blinked in disbelief, unable to process the sight before her. "Mom?" she choked.

Katara's penetrating glare never wavered from Alignak's stricken features. "Are your brothers alright?" she asked Kya, her words thick with emotion and tremulous with fear, "Did they survive the fall, Kya?"

"Th-They're fine," Kya stammered, "They're safe."

Her mother's eyes closed briefly with a small mewl of relief before her features hardened into a mask of rage and hatred. With her jaw set tight, Katara curled her hands into a tight fist and levitated Alignak closer. "Good. I want you to take the boys and go back to the house now. Lock yourselves in and stay there until I come for you."

"Mom, what are you going to do?" Kya whimpered.

Katara's eyes flashed. "Get your brothers and go now!"

Shaking with confusion, doubt and fear, Kya scurried to bend Bumi and Tenzin onto a platform of solid ice and brought them back to the surface. Once the two had reached safety, Kya didn't waste any time ushering the bewildered boys away from the scene as their mother continued her merciless manipulations of Alignak's body. When she was certain that her children were out of earshot and they were shielded from view, Katara deliberately brought Alignak down to the ground and laid him prostrate before her. His efforts to free himself of her grip proved fruitless, however. Katara was the stronger of the two and he knew it.

"Did you really think you could come to my home and terrorize my family without consequence?" Katara demanded. She threw out her arm, causing Alignak to rear back violently. A low scream of pain ripped from his throat in tandem with the ripping of his muscles as Katara slowly rotated her hand.

"Please…please…" he begged pitifully.

"Please what?" Katara mocked, "Please don't hurt you? Don't kill you? I wonder how many times my children begged for the very same thing from you tonight!" She yanked her arms wide and the movement callously slashed at his sinew beneath his perspiring skin, leaving Alignak sobbing in agony.

"I'm…sorry…I'm so…sorry…" he wept.

"You want my mercy, don't you, Alignak?" He was barely able to incline a nod but his wide, terrified eyes screamed for it. His unspoken pleading was met with detached resolve. "I'm afraid it's a little too late for that."

Mere breaths before she could deliver the killing blow, however, Katara heard her name. She could hear Aang's voice split out from the murky darkness, frantically calling for her to stop. Katara whipped around, releasing her grip on Alignak so that he fell forward to the ground in an insensible heap. "You can't do this, Katara," Aang panted as he materialized out of the night with Sokka and Toph close on his heels, "I can't let you kill him!" Though he said the right words, Aang tenaciously ignored the part of himself that spoke out of duty rather than conviction. "You have to stop, Katara."

"You don't know what he's done, Aang!" Katara cried, "He tried to kill our children tonight! He would have done it too if I hadn't come home when I did!"

When she started to grab hold of Alignak's sagging form again, Sokka moved in quickly to frame her face in his hands, recognizing the glazed look in her eyes only too well. "Katara…Katara, look at me," he whispered in a desperate bid to reason with her, "_Look at me!_ This isn't Mom, okay! This isn't like the day she died! You protected your babies and they are fine. But you don't have to do this. You don't _want_ to do this."

For one frightening moment, Sokka wasn't sure that he was getting through to her at all. Alignak continued to hover mid-air, only inches from the edge of the precipice. If Katara chose to throw him over, everyone present knew that the young man would not survive. But then, without warning, the murderous haze of hatred and rage cleared from her eyes and Katara gradually relaxed into Sokka's chest. She dropped Alignak to the ground, dissolving into wracking sobs as she did. Sokka wilted with relief as his sister crumpled into his arms, so intent on holding her that he was only vaguely aware of Aang and Toph rushing past him to place a groaning Alignak to place him under arrest.

* * *

It was several hours before Aang and Katara finally entered their home again. Several hours to process Alignak for his crimes. Several hours to discuss the horrifying events of that night. Several hours to deeply consider how very close Katara had coming to losing control that night, but more frighteningly how there had been a part of Aang that had wanted to let her. The couple discussed many hard truths that evening before returning to Air Temple Island that night. When they did, they discovered their three children waiting for them in the living room. Upon their parents' entrance, they studied their mother in wary concern. Katara shivered a bit to read the cautious fear in their eyes.

Of the three, Kya was the one who worked up the necessary courage to speak first. "Is Alignak dead?" she asked them bluntly.

"No," Aang answered, "He's been arrested. He won't hurt you again, Kya."

"It's my fault that all of this happened," she lamented, "I'm sorry. I'm the one who brought him into our lives. I knew there was something off about him, but I… I didn't listen to my instincts and look what happened!"

A moment later her mother crossed the room to stoop before Kya and enfold her in a tender hug. "It's not your fault. You're not the first person to be deceived by someone you thought you could trust and you won't be the last, Kya," she murmured, "Please don't blame yourself for this."

"I'm so sorry, Mom," she wept into her mother's shoulder, "I was so stupid! I…I never meant for any of this to happen."

As Katara soothed her with gentle words, Aang asked in an equally gentle tone, "Did you know, Kya? Did you know that Alignak was a bloodbender? Is that why you've been so upset lately?"

Kya lifted her head from Katara's shoulder and shook her head. "No, I didn't. Not until tonight when he attacked me. I was upset because he said some things…some really horrible things…about you and about Mom. He said that you were cowards and traitors and that he was part of some new regime that was going to change the world. He scared me. When he wouldn't stop attacking, I...I thought I was going to have to kill him tonight."

Noting the tremor in her daughter's words and well aware of what it must have cost Kya's peace loving nature to come to that frightening conclusion, Katara tipped her head down to get a glimpse of her face. "He's never done anything to hurt you before, has he?"

"No. Not really. Not until tonight. I didn't know about what he could do at all." And then her eyes ricocheted back to her mother, mild accusation swirling in their blue depths. "I didn't know that about _you_ either."

"Why didn't you tell us you were a bloodbender, Mom?" Bumi wondered timidly, "You always told us that it was the most loathsome form of bending there was."

"It is," she maintained flatly. Katara straightened then and retreated to drop into a nearby chair with a heavy sigh. Her tone was hoarse and hollow when she spoke again. "And, I'm _not_ a bloodbender. It's something I can do. It's not who I am."

"I've never seen you that way before, Mom," Tenzin mumbled, "It was scary."

"I never meant to frighten you," Katara whispered, beckoning them all closer so that they were huddled in her comforting embrace, "You have to know that I would _never_ hurt any of you. I was scared and angry and…when I saw what he was doing to you…" She pressed a kiss to each of their heads. "I guess I lost it."

"Well, if you hadn't," Kya whispered, "he would have killed me."

"I wasn't ever going to let that happen," Katara promised.

"Are you okay now?" Bumi asked, "He didn't…um…attack you, did he?" He well remembered the agony of being in Alignak's blood grip and imagining his mother suffering the same way simultaneously filled Bumi with fury and made him feel sick to his stomach.

"I'm fine," Katara reassured him, "But I don't want you, Tenzin and Kya to be afraid of me."

Tenzin hugged her hard. "I'm not afraid of you, Mom. I was afraid for you. I didn't want Alignak to hurt you like he was hurting us."

"I don't blame you for being afraid," Katara murmured, tilting a meaningful glance up towards Aang, "Bloodbending is a very dangerous form of bending. When I first learned it wasn't because I wanted to, but because I was forced to do it… If I hadn't then your father and your uncle would have been killed."

"Oh, Mom…" Kya commiserated.

"But, since then, I…I have abused the ability. _Once_…" She shuddered with the recollection. "At the time that I did it, I felt justified. I hadn't let myself feel anything…but afterwards… Afterwards, when I thought about what I had done I felt sick. I promised myself that I would never do it again," she told them, "It's not right having an ability like that…reaching inside another person and controlling them that way… It's morally reprehensible and…doing it changes you in ways you can't imagine."

"But that's only when it's in the wrong hands, right?" Bumi prodded, "It can be used for good, like you did tonight."

"Even the purest of motives can be twisted with this kind of bending, Bumi," Katara explained, "It was born out of deep hatred and a blind thirst for vengeance. And when you use it, no matter what your reasons are, those are the emotions that feed you. Nothing good can come from that."

Kya regarded her parents with a wide, vulnerable stare. "So what are you going to do now? I mean…what happens with Alignak…with people like him…like you?"

"He'll be in prison for a long time because of what he did here tonight," Aang assured her, "But as far as bloodbending goes…" His gaze faltered as he spoke, his words suddenly filling with tense hesitancy. "…I've talked with your mother about it, as well as the Council and we all agree that bloodbending should be outlawed. From this point on, anyone who uses the ability to hurt another human being, _for any reason_, will have their bending permanently removed…" his gaze skittered to Katara and then darted away again when she nodded for him to continue, "…for their safety and for the safety of others."

Tenzin cut an anxious glance towards his mother. "Does that mean you too, Mom? What if you use it because you're trying to protect us like you did tonight? Dad won't take away your bending, will he?"

Yet another unspoken look passed between Aang and Katara before she nodded solemnly and murmured, "I can protect you in other ways, Tenzin. But, if I choose to bend another person's will to my own…if I lose myself like I nearly did tonight, then yes, sweetie…he _should_ take away my bending…" Aang turned away at that point, making it evident from the rigid line of his back that the idea hadn't been _his_ at all. And though she knew he wasn't in total agreement with her, Katara finished obstinately nonetheless, "…and he _will _if it ever comes to that."

**~End~**


	18. Love in Due Season

**Love in Due Season **

It took some time for Aang and Katara's family to return to some semblance of normalcy after the incident with Alignak.

Despite the best intentions and unwavering diligence, it took another two and a half years before Toph and Aang were finally able to bring Yakone to justice. The investigation was impeded because, shortly after Alignak's arrest, he along with his brother and mother mysteriously disappeared and, with them, Toph and Aang's primary means of bringing Yakone to justice. The bad news was that the crime boss got away again. The good news was that Toph was finally able to pinpoint the leak in her department and plug it for good. And, after several undercover operations, they were at last able to bring Yakone to justice, but not before he left a wealth of chaos and destruction in his wake.

Ultimately, Yakone was de-bended according to the newly implemented law and sentenced to a lengthy prison term for his numerous crimes. But even that wasn't enough to keep him from plotting and also succeeding in an escape and fleeing Republic City for good. He was still at large somewhere in the world but for the most part Republic City enjoyed relative peace without his influence.

In the meantime, probending continued to flourish in the hands of Yakone's business partner, albeit with a much cleaner reputation. However, after their general experience with the sport and those involved in it, Aang and his entire family were permanently soured on probending altogether. They had all changed in small ways in the aftermath of those harrowing events, but none more so than Kya.

She was still as loving and free-spirited as she had always been, but she had also become quiet and introspective following Alignak's betrayal, trusting just a bit less than she used to. In many ways, Aang and Katara had fully encouraged Kya gaining a measured bit of caution. They didn't want her jaded and cynical by any means, but they also didn't want Kya to leave herself vulnerable to those who might take advantage of her kindness. However, when Kya's newly acquired wariness seemed to cause her to close her heart to the possibility of love again, her parents began to grow concerned.

Around that time, there was one particular young man who harbored a rather obvious crush on Kya. He was a quiet, studious non-bender by the name of Kamik who worked as a secretary for the Grand Council and in whom Aang had come to put a great deal of trust. Although he had never verbally confirmed his interest in the Avatar's daughter to anyone, it was a simple enough thing to discern especially when he became so hopelessly tongue-tied around her. More than once Aang had witnessed the poor man's bumbling attempts to brazen his way through the most minimal conversation with Kya only to be rewarded with a polite, but remote smile and afterwards summarily dismissed.

Aang couldn't help but pity the guy. It was a shame that Kya was so oblivious because, if she weren't, she would have learned that she and Kamik had quite a few things in common. Only four years older than her, Kamik had originally been born in the Southern Water Tribe before his parents migrated to Republic City when he was just three years old. He was kind and loyal with a good work ethic and a soft spot for underdogs. Unfortunately, he was also painfully shy and somewhat socially inept, which made it very easy for him to be overlooked…something that Kya had unknowingly done herself many times.

It was impossible for Aang not to feel some modicum of empathy for Kamik's position. He well knew what it was like to adore a girl from afar while being regarded as little more than a "sweet, little guy." Of course, back then Katara had at least acknowledged his existence. He wasn't sure Kya even knew Kamik was alive.

Hence was born Aang's notion to change all that. It didn't matter that he had next to zero idea how he was going to accomplish such a thing. What he did know was that, if there was a man alive that he would trust with his precious daughter, it would definitely be the diffident secretary. And, as if the Universe was conspiring right along with him, an opportunity for matchmaking the two unexpectedly presented itself to Aang one day when Kya dropped in on him with an invitation for lunch.

"I finished up with a healing session in town," Kya explained, "and I was close by and I thought you might want to grab some lunch with me."

"Oh, sweetie, that sounds great and I would love to, but I'm seriously swamped with work," Aang replied with an exaggerated sigh. He ignored the sharp glance Kamik cut at him because the secretary was well aware of the blatant untruth behind Aang's refusal. "Unfortunately, I doubt I'll be able to leave the Council today, but maybe you could pick something up for me."

"Sure. Just tell me what you want."

Aang tapped his chin as if a sudden thought had just occurred to him. "Oh, I know!" he said with phony innocence, "Kamik knows my favorite place and what I like." Yet again the secretary pinned him with a look, this one filled with wide-eyed anxiety. Seated at his tiny desk only a few feet behind where Kya stood, Kamik began wildly shaking his head and making chopping motions across his neck, wordlessly pleading for mercy and…the Avatar completely ignored him…again. "Just take him with you."

Up until that moment Kamik had been content to mind his business and file away scrolls but with matters escalating so quickly out of control, he nearly groaned aloud at the suggestion. "Don't you think I should stay and assist you with the mountains of work you have to do, Avatar Aang," he suggested meaningfully with a few not so subtle head jerks towards Kya.

"Of course you shouldn't," Aang replied just as meaningfully, "I truly believe that your presence would be better served seeing to this very important errand." Kya bounced a look between them both, suspecting in that moment that they had both gone a little stir crazy from being cooped up so long.

Reaching the limits of desperation, Kamik once again tried to wiggle free of his predicament. "Um…with all due respect, sir…I'm not so sure that this is a g—," His stammering protest was abruptly cut short when Kya caught hold of his forearm and tugged him to his feet.

"Oh, for goodness sake's, just show me where to find the place, will you?" she sighed in exasperation, "You wouldn't want the Avatar passing out from hunger, now would you?"

Aang almost lost the battle to bite back his pleased smile, especially when Kamik threw a desperate glance at him over his shoulder as if crying out for help. And so that day set the precedence for the future. Whenever and however he could, Aang would devise little excuses for Kamik and Kya to spend time together. Admittedly, in the beginning, it hadn't gone very smoothly, but Aang persevered. Whether he was inviting the secretary over for a meal or sending the both of them out on errands, Aang made sure that he pushed Kya's good qualities to Kamik while also pushing Kamik's good qualities to her. He dutifully did his part to emphasize to them both how wonderfully perfect they were for each other.

Both of them seemed rather oblivious to his efforts, seeming to forge a tentative friendship born out of proximity that naturally began to solidify into something deeper. And that wonderful development had happened without much encouragement from Aang at all. It only confirmed what he had believed all along…that Kya and Kamik were good for each other. They had only needed to be guided to the same place so that they could figure it out. Yet, while Aang was extremely pleased with his undercover matchmaking efforts, his dear wife had a different take on the situation altogether.

"You're shameless," she told him one afternoon when she caught him grinning like a fool after Kya had taken Kamik for a gliding lesson. "I know exactly what you're doing."

Aang blinked up at her in sweet innocence. "I have no idea what you mean."

Katara swatted him lightly, inciting Aang's offended yelp. "Don't you dare feign ignorance! You're playing matchmaker with Kya and you know it."

He responded to that with yet more blinking. "Can I help it if those two crazy kids hit it off?"

"You can if it was _your _machinations that kick-started it all," Katara countered dryly, "Kya thinks of Kamik as a dear friend and nothing more, Aang. While Kamik…"

"…is in love with her," Aang finished softly, "Yeah. I know."

"So then why are you meddling? Kamik is building up his expectations for something romantic with Kya and I'd hate to see him get hurt or Kya lose her friend because you stuck your nose in where it didn't belong."

"How do you know I'm not helping?" Aang argued. "You never know. She could change her mind."

"Aang…" Katara groaned in long-suffering.

"He could make her so happy, Katara," he insisted, "I know it. Kya only needs to open herself up to the possibility. She needs to let herself feel love again."

"And that's up to her," she stressed, "When _Kya_ is ready. I can't decide when the time is right for her and neither can you. It has to be Kya's choice. Otherwise, if you keep pushing this, it's going to end in disaster."

Ultimately, Katara was proven right. After month and months of waiting for the "right moment," Kamik finally decided to make his move with Kya. And, just as Katara predicted, it ended in disaster. He was swiftly shot down. Of course he was crushed by Kya's rejection and Kya was equally besieged with guilt for having "put out the wrong signals" out to him. They were both blaming themselves for the sudden misdirection in their relationship, but Aang felt he was ultimately responsible.

For a long while after the incident Kamik and Kya didn't speak to each other at all. Aang agonized over their rift, especially because, beyond the romantic hopes he had held for them, they truly did have a good friendship. He was constantly reminded of the small part he had played in its ruination wherever he went because, when he was at work Kamik was moping and when he was home Kya was moping. The situation became so unbearable that Aang felt compelled to intercede just once more, if for no other reason than to fix the mess he had made.

One evening when Kamik was preparing to leave for the day, Aang intercepted him before the secretary could clear the Council steps. "If you're free tonight," he began in a deceptively casual tone, "Katara and I would love it if you joined us for dinner. I'm sure Kya would like to see you."

Kamik mulled the offer over, indecision, doubt and longing chasing their way across his features before he schooled his countenance into an unreadable mask. "Thank you, Avatar Aang," he replied with a formal bow, "But I'm afraid I must respectfully decline."

"So now it's _Avatar_ Aang again? You've had dinner at my house nearly every night for the last four months, Kamik. I thought we were past formality."

"Yes, yes, of course, sir! We are, sir," Kamik insisted, so flustered that he made the denial in the most formal of tones. "This isn't about you at all."

"Then what is it about?"

The younger man dropped his head forward with a miserable sigh. "I'm sure you know what happened between me and Kya. I made an absolute fool out of myself. You see, I thought she wanted more because I was feeling things and I thought that she might be feeling them too but it turns out that I was wrong and I completely humiliated myself and totally embarrassed her in the process so now I'm feeling like the biggest idiot to walk the planet and I want to hide myself in shame." He took a deep breath. "I'm pretty sure I ruined our friendship for good."

Aang tried not to reel too much in the wake of his dizzying ramble and, instead, zeroed in on one kernel in particular. "Is that what Kya told you…that you ruined the friendship?"

"I haven't actually spoken to her since that day," Kamik confessed rather shamefully, "I've been too much of a coward to face her."

"Why? You don't think my daughter is capable of forgiveness?"

"No! No, sir," Kamik rushed out, "Kya is one of the most forgiving people I've ever met. She's…she's incredible!"

His rhapsodizing incited a small smile from Aang. "Is that so?"

"The first time I saw her, I thought she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen," Kamik confided softly, "But she was more of an ideal back then. She was the Avatar's daughter and I had an image in my head of what she would be like. But the reality of her…" He trailed off into silence, horrified to realize he was confessing the deepest things in his heart to the Avatar and yet unable to stop himself either. "The reality of Kya was something beyond my wildest imagination. She's a wonderful person and I've been privileged to call her my friend."

"So why are you avoiding her?" When Kamik clearly didn't have an answer to that question, Aang dropped a reassuring pat on Kamik's shoulder and said, "Maybe that's something you need to figure out."

The following morning Kamik showed up at Air Temple Island and humbly requested that Kya take a walk with him. They were gone two full hours but when they returned their friendship was restored and Aang felt victorious once again. The friendship continued to develop and deepen over a period of six months with Kamik and Kya virtually inseparable in that time. When Kya decided to start a non-profit healing clinic in the city, Kamik was the one to help find her a location. When Kamik had duties that kept him well beyond his established work hours, Kya would often pitch in to help him.

They ate dinner together and attended plays together. They took impromptu trips together. On some occasions when the night got away from her and Kya realized the hour was late, she would even stay overnight at Kamik's apartment in the city. And, unbeknownst to her parents, the two of them even shared the same bed platonically on some occasions. While it all seemed to them like a natural progression in their friendship, something profound was beginning to shift between Kamik and Kya and neither of them seemed to notice. In many ways the two acted and functioned as a couple without the actual commitment. It was a comfortable arrangement that seemed to work for them very well until the fateful day that Kamik met a girl.

In the beginning, Kya hadn't felt particularly threatened. Kamik was not a bad-looking guy and truthfully his clumsiness and tendency towards stammering was more endearing to the opposite sex than off-putting. He could be quite funny when he managed to remove his foot from his mouth. So Kya wasn't surprised that a girl or two would show interest in him from time to time. However, those fleeting crushes had never gone anywhere and she had no reason not to expect the same with the new girl.

But then the relationship became surprisingly serious and Kya suddenly found herself battling feelings of betrayal and jealousy. Very gradually the dinners and plays ceased. Sleepovers became a thing of the past. No longer was the bulk of Kamik's time devoted to her. Another woman had abruptly taken her place and the sudden change left Kya infuriated, hurt and confused. In her despair, Kya chose to seek out her mother's wisdom.

She found Katara one evening along the water's edge at the very tip of the island, practicing her bending forms. When Katara caught sight of her, she invited Kya to join her. Yet, in spite of the fact Kya accepted the offer it soon became apparent that her heart wasn't in it. Katara straightened and surveyed her daughter with a questioning look.

"What's on your mind?"

"Kamik has a girlfriend," Kya blurted.

"I know," Katara replied dryly, "He introduced us to her when he brought her to dinner the other night."

Kya crossed her arms, her stance obstinate when she declared, "I don't like her."

"What do you mean you don't like her? She seemed like a nice enough girl."

"No, you don't know her like I do, Mom," Kya huffed, "She monopolizes _all_ of Kamik's time and then she tells him that _I'm_ the problem because she's not comfortable with me being around so much! She's changing everything around and Kamik is letting her do it!"

"Well, Kya," Katara began carefully, "do you blame her? Any woman would be intimidated by the closeness you have with Kamik. He's in a relationship, sweetie. His first priority needs to be her."

"But he's _my_ best friend! I've known him longer! She can't just come in and start dictating how his life is supposed to go!"

"That's not what she's doing. She's trying to make a life _with_ him."

Kya scoffed, her pretty features drawn in a dubious scowl. "I can't believe you're saying all of this! I thought you would be on my side, Mom!"

"I _am_ on your side. You should stop worrying so much about what this girl is doing in her relationship and, instead, give some thought to why it bothers _you_ so much."

Kya immediately dropped her gaze and began to fidget. "I…I told you. She's…she's bossy! I'm worried about him being with that controlling harpy. I don't think she's right for him."

"If she's not, then who is?"

"I don't know…Kamik needs someone who gets his many quirks," Kya ventured lightly, "Someone who will appreciate the fact that he'd rather read a book than play a sport. He needs someone who knows that, while he's an abomination when it comes to anything handy or mechanical, it's still admirable and sort of cute that he gives the tinkering thing a shot anyway.

"Kamik needs a girl who can recognize what a courageous man he is even if he doesn't fit into the typical warrior's persona," she continued softly, "He's not afraid to try new things and go to new places, not if he thinks his presence will make a difference. He needs someone who can recognize how rare it is to find someone who is genuinely willing to sacrifice on behalf of his fellowman while expecting nothing in return." She met her mother's eyes squarely as she finished, "That's the type of girl Kamik needs."

"Sounds like he has her," Katara murmured softly. As Kya jerked her head aside in an effort to hide her blush, her mother asked, "So how long have you known that you were in love with him?"

Kya turned towards the sea, wrapping her arms protectively around her middle. "I never said that."

"You didn't have to," Katara replied, "Your feelings were apparent in every word you just said." Katara didn't need Kya to confirm the truth aloud. It was evident in the way that her daughter stiffened with the observation that she was right. "So why haven't you told him?"

"What am I supposed to say?" Kya mumbled, "He'll think I'm just being jealous and petty if I said anything now. Besides, I don't really have the best judgment when it comes to this kind of stuff, Mom. I thought I loved Alignak at one time too and we see how well that turned out."

Katara moved to stand beside her. "Are you saying that what you feel for Kamik is similar to that?"

Kya favored her with a wistful, sideways smile. "Actually, it's completely different," she confided, "When I was with Alignak it felt exciting and forbidden. I was caught up in the attention he gave me and how that made me feel. What I have with Kamik is quieter and it happened without me really being aware of it. All I have to do is think about him and I smile. He's the first person I want to see when I wake up and he's the last person I want to see before I go to bed. I can't explain it."

"You don't have to," Katara whispered with her own wistful smile, "Sounds familiar."

Kya dropped down onto the sodden sand, tucking her knees against her chest with a deep, sullen sigh. "I don't know when I stopped imagining my life without him, but I have Mom," she confessed in a small whisper, "I do love him and…and it's probably the scariest feeling I've ever felt."

"Also familiar," Katara laughed wryly as she eased down beside her, "Now what are you going to do about it?"

"Well, what did you do about it?"

"I ignored my feelings. I put them off. But I had a hundred year war as my convenient excuse. What's yours?"

"I don't have an excuse except that I'm scared," Kya whispered, "I'm scared of making a mistake. I'm scared of ruining our friendship. I'm scared of being hurt again."

"I know what it's like to feel those things. You want something so much but you're afraid to reach for it because you're half expecting it to be taken away from you," Katara said, "But you can't live like that, Kya. You can't let fear dictate your life. It's not fair to you and it's not fair to Kamik either."

"You're saying I should tell Kamik how I feel about him and go from there, right?"

"I'm saying that if he's as important to you as you say he is, then there's no way you _won't_ tell him."

And she did. Her timing was serendipitous in that Kamik, having come to his own realizations about his rather unshakeable feelings for Kya, had already ended his relationship by the time Kya worked up the courage to confess her love for him. So, after some earnest and honest purging of emotions and after nearly a year of friendship, Kamik and Kya made the choice to officially become a couple. On the night of their first official date, Aang climbed out onto the rooftop of the house to watch for their arrival later on that evening.

Kamik returned Kya home right on time. Aang observed with a small smile as the young man leaned in to give his daughter a tentative kiss goodnight. It was dark and almost impossible to see their faces at such a distance but Aang imagined from the shy manner in which they both ducked their heads afterwards that Kya and Kamik were probably blushing. His amused chuckle over that fact was abruptly halted, however, when the young lovers drifted closer for yet another kiss, that one much longer than the first.

Not exactly thrilled with the turn of events, Aang surreptitiously bent out a gust of air strong enough to startle the couple apart and leave them looking windswept. Kamik was clearly oblivious about where the sudden draft had come from, but Kya was not. She whipped a narrowed glower towards the rooftop. Aang quickly ducked out of view.

"What in the world are you doing?"

Aang glanced up with a sheepish smile to discover Katara climbing through the window leading out to the rooftop and regarding him with a curious look as she did. "These…um…these roof tiles…" he prevaricated wildly as she came to sit down beside him, "I think it's time to replace them."

Katara flicked him with a skeptical look. "You really expect me to believe that you're up here inspecting the roof?" When Aang shrugged, she nodded meaningfully towards the ground where Kya and Kamik were now walking hand in hand with the obvious idea of a late night stroll across the island. "Do you plan on following her?" she teased, "Or is this where your spying ends for the night?"

"I wasn't spying. I was _observing_. I'm happy that she's happy. That's all."

"You're pretty pleased with yourself, aren't you?" Katara asked with a knowing smile.

"Well, I was right after all. My matchmaking was a complete success. I could totally make a second career out of this, Katara."

"Yeah, and it only took you an entire year to see results." She rewarded him with mock applause. "Well done, Avatar. Well done."

Aang turned his nose skyward with a haughty sniff. "I'm not letting you ruin my moment."

"I guess I'm just wondering why it was so important to you," she sighed.

"Well, for one thing…I didn't want our daughter to give up on love," Aang explained, "Alignak did a number on her heart and she carries so much guilt and shame as a result of what happened with him. He scarred her, Katara. I felt like Kya would have closed herself off into a shell forever if I hadn't done something."

"And here I believed all this time that I was the Grand Meddler in this family."

He offered her a cheeky grin. "Well, I did learn from the best."

"So that's why you got so involved…because you wanted to save Kya from herself?"

"That and I couldn't help but feel sorry for Kamik. I've been in his shoes before."

"And how's that?"

"You know the story. The girl you adore doesn't know you're alive and breaks your heart with her indifference. It's a tragic tale."

"That's a gross exaggeration. I knew you were alive, Aang," Katara huffed with an eye roll.

"Oh, that's right. You did. You thought I was 'a sweet little guy…_like Momo_.'" He made a face that clearly stated that compliment was nothing to do backflips about.

Katara made a small, scoffing sound. "I cannot believe you are throwing words I said when I was 14 years old back in my face."

"I am," he confirmed without shame.

"Well…" his wife purred, leaning in closer so that her mouth was within scant inches of his, "…it would probably annoy you to know that I still think of you as a sweet guy…just not so little anymore."

"I like that answer. Okay, you're forgiven," Aang laughed right before giving her the kiss they both wanted.

When they finally broke contact a few moments later, Katara grabbed hold of his hand and tugged him to his feet. "Come on," she cajoled, "Kya and Kamik will take care of themselves. Let's go to bed."

Ten minutes later, after kicking out of his clothing and climbing into bed completely nude, Aang reclined back into the pillows and watched with languorous eyes as Katara briskly stripped down to nothing as well. With the kids growing older and the likelihood of someone infiltrating their bedroom in the middle of the night finally rendered a moot issue, Aang and Katara had once again returned to sleeping together sans pajamas. Aang definitely liked the change.

Even after nearly three decades together, he was still ridiculously fascinated by Katara's naked body. Her curves were fuller and rounder now, softened by age and multiple childbirths, yet those changes only deepened Aang's appreciation…and desire. He couldn't help but smile as she traipsed back and forth across their bedroom without a single bit of modesty, chatting idly about her day and seemingly oblivious to the effect she was having on her husband.

"Guess what?" she said after she had scrambled beneath the covers to ward off the chill.

Aang scooted onto his side to face her with an expectant smile. He loved it when she played the "guess what" game. "What?"

"I found three gray hairs this morning," Katara confessed direly, "Two on my head and the third…" She paused to shudder. "We don't even want to talk about where I found the third one."

"When I was growing up gray hair was considered a mark of wisdom and respect," Aang told her.

Katara flopped onto her back with a despondent grunt. "You're so full of bison crap. We both know what this means, Aang. I'm old." She sniffed unhappily. "I'm an old lady."

"You're not an old lady," Aang laughed, "42 is not an old lady, Katara."

"That's easy for you to say," she pouted, "You're still young and hot."

With a pleased chuckle over that backhanded compliment, Aang unceremoniously flipped her up onto his chest so that she was lying flush with the lines of his body. The heat of his arousal pulsed between them. He pressed against her lightly. "So…" he drawled between several nipping kisses, "…you think I'm hot, do you?"

Katara struggled to hold onto her sour disposition, but she wasn't quite able to keep the giggles from escaping her as he bit playfully along her throat. "Don't try to seduce me when I'm sulking," she scolded rather half-heartedly.

He nudged his hips against her again so that the very tip of his erection breeched the moist folds of her body. Katara bit back a moan, prompting Aang's mischievous smile. "Are you sure you'd rather sulk?"

"Well, when you put it that way…" she whispered, rolling her hips so that he penetrated her again, only deeper this time. Aang inhaled a sharp hiss as Katara pushed herself upright, taking him yet deeper into her warm, silky center as she did. He groaned his encouragement, lifting his hips to push higher, mumbling under his breath about how good she felt, how well she fit him and how much he wanted her. Katara braced her hands against his chest and began to rock her hips, the rolling thrusts of her body spurred on by her own instincts and Aang's guiding hands.

She watched as his eyes fell closed in rapturous abandon when she began moving in the rhythm she knew he liked best. They created a delicious friction together, an unhurried and fluid tempo that had been perfected by years of intimacy. Aang bit his lip in an effort to muffle his grunts of pleasure, striving to keep quiet for the sake of their sleeping sons just down the hallway. The gesture made Katara smile.

He was so beautiful when he was like this, so vulnerable and unguarded, almost strangely innocent in a way. Aang never tried to conceal his desire for her, never tried to hide his reaction to her touch. It was there in his every grimace, every fitful moan, every spasmodic jerk of his hips beneath hers. She didn't only have his body. She had his complete heart. It had been her sole possession since he was 12 years old and Katara knew without a doubt that it would belong to her well into eternity…just as her heart would belong to him.

Without ever breaking the slow undulations of her hips, Katara softly whispered his name. His lashes fluttered up to reveal gray eyes darkened with lust and adoration. "Yeah?"

"Do you remember what I asked you on our honeymoon night?"

He was already having difficulty keeping his eyes open, much less focusing on her sudden preoccupation with the past during sex. "Wh-What? What are you talking about?"

Katara arched against him in deliberate languor, easing the pace of her movements. "I asked you if we would always be in love this way and you said…"

Aang smiled. He pulled her down for a deep, languid kiss, still thrusting within her in gentle forays. "I said I hope so," he whispered against her lips, "Yeah…I remember."

Her eyes glittered brightly in the darkness, glistening with emotion. "Well, I am," Katara confessed thickly, "I'm still in love with you, Aang, more now than I was then…and I always will be." She kissed him again, lingering against his mouth. "I just wanted you to know that."

"I love you so much, Katara," he managed around the acrid lump that rose in his throat. For the moment, the all-encompassing desire he had felt seconds earlier was forgotten and replaced with overwhelming emotion instead. He pulled her closer, tangled his fingers in her hair and buried his face in her neck, inexplicably close to tears right then. "Thank you for loving me back."

**~End~**


	19. A Mother's Gift

**A/N: Some have asked how much these stories will cover. I will take this fic straight through Aang's death and Katara's reaction to it. So I'm going to do something I've never done in fic before. I'm going to kill Aang. But I'm sure you knew that was going to come eventually.**

* * *

**A Mother's Gift**

"I can get through this day without falling apart if you promise me that you won't cry."

As Aang ducked inside the small temple changing room draped in traditional Air Nomad robes, he wanted to grant his daughter's poignant entreaty. After all, this was her wedding day and a bride should have all that she asked for on that special occasion. Yet the instant he saw Kya seated there, adorned so delicately in all her glittering frost blue wedding finery trimmed with gold, Aang knew he couldn't make her such a promise. He didn't have a prayer of keeping it. Aang hadn't even fully closed the distance between them and already he could feel the tears filling his eyes even as he willed them not to fall.

Katara paused in the task of arranging Kya's bountiful waves of hair to fix her husband with a tender and commiserative smile. "It's okay. Let it out," she invited, "I've done plenty of that this morning myself."

Growling under her breath at her mother's encouragement, Kya dabbed at her running nose with a handkerchief, her parents' fragile hold on their emotions inevitably weakening her grip on her own. The crying jag she had experienced only moments earlier with her mother renewed itself with a vengeance upon the arrival of her father.

"You both make me sick," she mumbled as they both converged on her in a mutual hug, "I can't believe you're making me cry this way."

"Think of it as payback for all the times _you_ made _us_ cry," Katara joked tearfully.

The answering laugh Kya intended dissolved into a wailing sob instead. She pressed her face deeper into her mother's belly. "I'm really going to miss you both."

That mournful statement provoked yet more laughing tears from Katara. "Sweetheart, you're only moving into the city, not halfway across the world."

Although the words were meant to be a joke, Kya stiffened. In slow, deliberate inches, she turned a meek glance up at both of her parents. "That's the part Kamik and I haven't mentioned to either of you yet," she confessed hesitantly, "You already know that we're planning to honeymoon in the South Pole but…what we didn't tell you was that…well… We're planning to move there…permanently."

Aang blinked at her. "You want to do what now?"

"Kya, I…I don't understand," Katara stammered, "What do you mean by _'permanently?'_ Republic City is your home! You grew up here. Your family is here! Your friends are here."

"And I thought you and Kamik loved living here," Aang threw in.

"We did," Kya emphasized, "We _do_. This city is an integral part of us both and we'll always feel like a part of us belongs here, but… Kamik and I talked about it and we think we could make more of a difference if we moved to the South Pole and assisted the Southern Water Tribe with their rebuilding efforts on a more full time basis. We want to help them become strong again."

"That's a very commendable goal, Kya," Aang said, "And you know that I would never try to dissuade you from devoting your life to serving others but… This is a huge lifestyle change that you're thinking of making here."

"What?" she asked with an impish smile, "Do you think I'm too much of a city girl to handle it?"

"It's a different life there," Katara interjected, "Don't mistake me. It's a good life. _An honorable life_. But it's also very simple and filled with a lot of hard work."

"I'm not afraid of hard work, Mom."

"Kya, it's the South Pole," Katara reasoned, "The conditions there are very harsh."

"I know this. We've visited there every year since I was old enough to talk, remember? Kamik and I know what we're getting ourselves into."

"Sweetie, forgive me if I'm too blunt about this," Katara began rather carefully, "but Kamik, although I love him dearly, is not what I would describe as an…um…outdoorsman."

"What are you saying?" Kya demanded with some mild affront.

"We're not saying he's soft or anything," Aang rushed to soothe her, "We're just saying that he's…he's…well, he's a little delicate."

"He's not really the outdoorsy type at all, Kya. You know this already," Katara interjected flatly, "The winters in the South Pole will eat him alive."

"Okay, it's true," Kya conceded, "Kamik isn't such a big fan of…um…roughing it, _but_… You have to admire his dedication for wanting to relocate to the South Pole anyway because the idea of helping others is more important to him than his own personal comfort." She leveled her father with a piercing stare. "Isn't that exactly what you like about him, Dad?"

"Well, I…you…I'm only saying that _visiting_ the South Pole and _living_ there are two very different things."

A few weeks prior Kya might have reacted to her parents' persistent penchant for overreaction and worry with understandable exasperation. But now, having recently learned a few days earlier that she was expecting her own child, Kya felt a great deal more empathy for her parents' plight. She imagined that one day far off into the future she would be having a similar conversation with her son or daughter. For that reason, she managed to maintain her patience with them.

Of course, her pregnancy was yet another thing her parents did not know about. It was a secret that both she and Kamik had decided should remain so until after their wedding. She wasn't ashamed or unhappy about the development, but that didn't change the fact that she was unsure about how her pregnancy would be received by her family, particularly her parents. Kya struggled with keeping the truth from them even while she feared their possible disappointment in her.

With those thoughts fluttering around in her head, Kya favored Aang with a loving smile. "Dad, don't worry about me. I know what I'm doing. You and Mom taught me well."

Aang crouched down before her, nodding his acceptance even as he had to swallow back his tears. He reached out to cup her cheek, marveling over how much she had changed in what seemed like such a short period of time. Gone were the wide blue eyes and adorable baby fat. They had been replaced with smooth, delicate angles and a breathtaking beauty that was reminiscent of her mother, but also uniquely Kya. She was everything Aang had imagined she would become even while she was still developing in her mother's belly. Yet, he had never imagined that finally seeing the fruition of his dreams for her would hurt so much.

"I keep looking at you and wondering where my little girl went," he choked, "I know you're a young woman now and I can _see_ it, but I can't _feel _it. Not yet. When I look at you I can't help but think of how you used to sneak into our room in the middle of the night and wedge yourself between your mom and me like you belonged there…" He swiped at the tears streaming down his cheeks. "…Because, in all honesty…you did. You still do."

Kya threw her arms around Aang's neck and wept softly into his collar. "I'm still that little girl, Daddy," she whispered, "and I think I always will be."

Katara turned her back on the tender scene, hoping to conceal her own display of sentiment. Already she felt as if she had cried buckets that day and the ceremony wasn't due to begin for another hour. By then she was sure to be a nervous wreck. Her emotions had already been left tenuous upon witnessing the well wishes from her brother, father and sons to her daughter. And yet, watching Aang's heartbreaking outpouring of emotion is what thoroughly broke her…possibly because she knew that he was the one person who understood better than anyone what she was feeling right then.

Once Katara felt that she had finally regained some control over herself, she began shooing Aang from the room. "Okay, enough of that," she told him, "The bridal party will be here shortly so it's time that you made yourself scarce. Go bug my brother now."

As she hustled him towards the door, however, Aang's answering chuckle became a low murmur of concern when he cast yet another wistful glance towards their daughter. He then turned his earnest gray stare back to Katara. "Are you okay?" he asked her in a low tone, "About the move…about everything?"

Katara blinked back the sudden tears that sprang to her eyes. "No. Are you?"

"No," he answered softly, "She's been our baby for 21 years, Katara. How are we supposed to let that go?"

"I'll let you know when I figure it out," she told him before pressing her lips to his in a tender kiss.

After they had murmured their goodbyes, Katara closed the door behind Aang and turned to face Kya again. She was surprised to discover that her daughter was regarding her with a soft, melancholy smile. "As a kid, I used to hate when you and Dad kissed in front of us," she confessed wryly, "I thought it was gross. But now that I'm older, I can appreciate the fact that you two are still so in love with each other even after being together for so long. It's actually pretty sweet."

"Well, now that's a big change, isn't it?" Katara laughed, crossing the distance between them to resume her earlier task of pinning up Kya's hair, "As I recall, you used to refer to our kisses as 'oogies.'"

Kya slanted a wry glance up at her mother. "Actually that was Uncle Sokka's word. We just borrowed it."

"Oh, that's right," Katara grumbled in recollection, "I don't know what his problem was with us."

"Because he said watching you and Dad kiss was like watching his brother and his sister makeout."

"_What?_" That outlandish explanation caught Katara so off guard that she dropped the hairpins.

As she bent to retrieve them with several muttered insults directed towards her older brother, Kya laughed and quickly clarified, "He wasn't saying that you and Dad were like brother and sister, but that he thought of you _both_ as his siblings…that Dad was as much a brother to him as you were his sister. He told us that he wanted you guys to fall in love…and then he didn't because even though he knew you belonged together, seeing you kiss still gave him oogies."

Still scowling, but a little less annoyed, Katara set aside the hairpins and asked darkly, "And when exactly did he tell you all of this?"

"The night Tenzin was born. Bumi and I were restless and scared and Uncle Sokka entertained us with stories about you guys when you were kids."

Katara artfully arranged a coil of Kya's hair and pinned it. "So what else did he tell you?"

"That he loved you and Dad very much and that we were very lucky children to have you as parents." Kya tipped back her head to regard Katara with a solemn smile, despite her mother's weak admonishments for her to keep still. "We really are, Mom."

"I think your father and I are the luckier ones," Katara whispered thickly, "to have you three as our children."

Mother and daughter huddled together for yet another round of sentimental weeping. "I don't know what's wrong with me," Kya sniffled when they parted, "I can't seem to stop crying."

"Hmm…must be the hormones," Katara observed in an offhand manner.

Kya froze immediately before darting a hesitant glance to her mother's knowing countenance. Her face suffused with heat. She quickly twisted back around in her seat. "I don't know what you mean."

Katara sighed, her daughter's hair forgotten for the moment. "Kya, I have given birth to three children and have delivered countless others. I know what a pregnant woman looks like. I know the signs. And I know that all that vomiting you did this morning after breakfast wasn't only due to a case of wedding jitters."

Unable to meet her mother's eyes, Kya preoccupied herself by picking at the microscopic flecks of lint clinging to her lap. "Does Dad know?" she asked finally.

Gently, Katara coaxed Kya's gaze to her own. "I only started considering the possibility myself this morning," she said, "I haven't spoken to your father about it and I won't. This is your news to tell, sweetie, and yours alone."

"Are you disappointed in me?" Kya wondered timidly.

"No. Why would I be disappointed?"

"Because I've become one of _those_ girls," her daughter emphasized with a dramatic sigh, "You know the type. They get in 'trouble' and then suddenly they're in this huge rush to get married."

"That's not what you're doing, is it?" Katara pressed, a concerned frown creasing her forehead.

"No! Not at all. I love Kamik and I want to marry him more than anything in the world. But I would be lying if I didn't admit that learning about the baby didn't speed up our urgency to get it done."

"I'll bet it did," Katara murmured with a small smile, "So how far along do you think you are?"

Kya shrugged. "No more than a couple of months I suppose."

"Well, that explains a lot then."

"A lot like what?"

"A lot like why I had to let out the front of your dress _twice_," her mother teased shamelessly.

Color blooming across her cheeks once more, Kya cast a wry glance down at her burgeoning bosom. "Oh yeah... They are getting pretty large, aren't they?"

"Don't worry. Your husband will love them. Trust me."

The teasing rejoinder Kya had planned abruptly became an appalled grimace when she belatedly realized that her mother was speaking from personal experience. "Mother! There are some things that I do _not_ need to know, nor do I _want_ to know, about your sex life with Dad, okay! No, scratch that. I don't want to know _anything_ at all about it!"

"So I guess there's no point in giving you the deflowering talk now, is there? I had a really good one planned too. I was going to give you the same one that Gran-Gran gave me."

"I don't know if I want to know," Kya mumbled, well remembering how forthright her iron-willed Gran-Gran had been.

"That's probably wise. Still, I have to admit, she was pretty informative for an old lady."

Kya shuddered. "I'll pass. Besides, you're about three months too late on that one, Mom."

"Yes," Katara replied with a meaningful nod towards Kya's abdomen, "…so I gathered."

"Mom!"

Without warning, Katara became inexplicably weepy once more. "My goodness…I can't believe I'm going to be a grandmother," she sighed before she repeated with more dramatic flair as if it truly hit her right then, "I'm going to be a _grandmother_. I don't understand where the time went. It seems like only yesterday that I was teaching you how to potty like a big girl."

"Thank you so much for that visual, Mother."

Katara framed Kya's face in her hands, visibly overwhelmed. "My baby is having a baby."

"You'll come to the South Pole when I'm close to delivery, won't you, Mom?" Kya entreated anxiously, gripping her mother's wrist for emphasis, "I don't want to do this without you."

Her mother pressed an affectionate kiss to her forehead. "You won't."

"So…" Kya sighed, swiveling once again so her mother could finish her hair, "…you and Dad have had a pretty lasting and happy marriage. Any sage advice you'd like to dispense at this time?"

"Well…" Katara began somewhat thoughtfully, "…You have to be willing to compromise sometimes. That one was a particularly hard lesson for me. You probably never noticed this before but I tend to insist on having my way."

"No…_you_?"

Kya was rewarded for her laughing sarcasm with a playful tug of her hair. After she grunted in response, Katara continued, "As I was saying, always, always compromise. You'll be surprised to learn that, when you _do, _more often than not you end up getting your way anyway."

"Aah, so that's how you do it," Kya breathed, listening attentively, "I'll keep that in mind. What else?"

"Be honest," Katara advised, "Always tell Kamik what he needs to hear even when he may not want to hear it but, when you do, be sure to be kind, Kya. Kamik should know that you're on his side even when you don't agree with certain decisions he might make. He needs to know that you will fight _for_ him even as you're fighting _with_ him. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"I think so…"

"And be sure to apologize when you make a mistake, even if it's the result on some unintentional hurt on your part. Be mature enough and wise enough to take steps to mend the rifts in your relationship as soon as they happen," Katara told her, "_Never_ _ever_ go to bed angry. Always try to talk it out beforehand and always remember that your relationship with each other is paramount. It needs to come first."

"Is that how you and Dad have managed to stay so happy?"

Katara bit back a shy smile. "I'd like to think so."

"So that's the recipe for a successful marriage?"

"Well there's that and lots and lots of love, Kya. Don't ever let yourself fall out of love with him. It's very important."

"How do you do that?" Kya whispered, "I mean, after so many years, don't you eventually start to irritate each other?"

"You do," Katara admitted, "But there's a trick to preventing those minor irritations from overwhelming your marriage. You know all the reasons why you're marrying Kamik today, all the reasons you admire him and respect him?" Kya nodded solemnly. "Keep reminding yourself of those things, Kya. Let yourself see his good qualities and help him work out the not so good ones. Don't let his flaws and the mistakes that he is bound to make blind you to the man he truly is inside, the man to whom you're pledging your life. If you can do that then you won't ever fall out of love with him. In fact, you'll _find_ new reasons to love him every day."

"That's what I want, Mom," Kya whispered fervently, "I want to be in love with Kamik for the rest of my life. He's my best friend and I don't ever want that to change."

Katara enfolded her daughter in a tight hug then, her heart bursting with pride and love. "Then I think that you're already halfway there."

As if on cue, a soft knocking sounded at the door, startling mother and daughter apart. As they turned up expectant glances, Suki cautiously poked her head inside. "The bridal party has arrived. You ladies ready to get this show on the road?"

Kya and Katara exchanged a profound stare before Kya murmured, "Yeah…I think I'm all set."

**~End~**


	20. Life Rearranged

**Life Rearranged**

"If you're the one Kya wants there for moral support, then why do I have to go too?"

Bumi's latest objection was a new variation on an old refrain. Rather than scolding him like she had the previous ten times, however, Katara decided to ignore him this last time and diligently continued arranging their belongings into Ceba's saddle. However, she and Aang did exchange an unspoken glance as he reached up to pass her another parcel.

On the one hand, it would probably be simple to write off Bumi's uncharacteristic sullenness as the product of normal teenage angst. After all, he was a sixteen year old boy who did not wish to leave his friends and his active social life behind for a three week visit to the South Pole, a place that was covered for hundreds of miles with ice and snow. A waterbender and a native would feel perfectly at home in that environment. A city boy and one who naturally craved challenges as well as an ever changing environment would probably find it less than thrilling. Katara empathized with Bumi's lack of enthusiasm.

Yet, on the other hand, this was no mere vacation. This was a trip to _see his sister_, a sister Katara knew he had missed desperately. So, the fact that he was loitering around in the front of their home complaining rather than assisting them in their efforts to pack for the trip both annoyed and confused her. She wanted to admonish him for his attitude, but Katara wasn't so far removed from her formative years that she couldn't sympathize with his feelings either. She also suspected that his general grumpiness had less to do with the actual trip and more to do with the sudden resentment he had begun to harbor against Kya since shortly after her wedding.

For some inexplicable reason, Bumi had taken it very personally when his older sister abruptly decided to leave the city that had been her home since she was ten years old and relocate to the South Pole. In the beginning, Katara knew that he hadn't imagined that it would be anything other than temporary arrangement. After all, that was the nature of their entire family. Since Bumi was old enough to remember, they had traveled the width and depth of the entire world. Sometimes they would stay in a certain place for a few weeks but, in the end, they would always, always return home. Kya, however, wasn't going to return home. She had decided to make the South Pole her home instead and her younger brother had decided that he couldn't forgive her for it.

With all of that in mind Katara concluded that biting her tongue was likely the best decision regarding Bumi's behavior. Aang, on the other hand, chose to be a bit more direct. "Bumi, get off your butt and _do_ something!" he ordered as he passed his son with an armload a few moments later.

"Hey, Dad? I know the eyesight probably isn't what it used to be, but…I'm not on my butt right now, which is _here_," Bumi countered, grabbing the seat of his pants in cheeky emphasis, "I'm standing on my feet, which are here. See the difference?" He pointed down aforementioned appendages and wiggled them, incurring his father's humorless bark of laughter. "Besides, what do you want me to do? My stuff is already on Ceba."

"This is it?" Katara cried in disbelief, holding the tiny bag Bumi had thrown up aloft, "This is _all_ you're taking."

"Why should I take more? When I get there Grandpa's going to give me like ten thousand fur pelts anyway."

His father breezed past him again on his way to procure more traveling gear, ducked back into the house and reappeared with yet another canvas bag. As Aang went over to deliver the bundle to Katara, he remarked to Bumi over his shoulder, "You're about to become an uncle, you know? Can't you muster up a little excitement?"

"For what?" Bumi scoffed, "I'm traveling hundreds of miles to hang out in a frozen wasteland with no friends and nothing to do until Kya has her kid. Is this the part where I'm supposed to do cartwheels? Exactly how is this benefitting me?"

"You get to witness the miracle of life up close and personal," Tenzin threw in excitedly, "I can't wait."

Bumi turned positively green at the prospect. "I'm glad one of us has something to look forward to. But again…how does this benefit _me_? Why can't I just stay here while you guys are gone? I can stay at Toph's. She won't mind."

From atop Ceba, Katara plunked her hands onto hips and regarded her eldest son with a disapproving scowl. "I mind," she countered crisply, "This is an opportunity to support Kya, Bumi. It's her first child! She wants us to be there with her. _All_ of us."

"Well maybe she should have thought about that before she went to live on the other side of the world," Bumi muttered sullenly. "I'm going inside. Just yell for me when we're all set to embark on this magical journey."

After he disappeared into the house, Katara stared after him, shaking her head in exasperation. "I don't know what we're going to do with him," she mumbled to Aang as he propelled himself up into Ceba's saddle to join her, "He's being impossible. If he's like this the whole trip, I can't be responsible for what I do."

Aang pulled her back against him and dropped a tender kiss against her neck. "He'll be fine. It's just a phase. After what we went through with Kya we should be old pros at this teenage business."

Katara angled a look up at him over her shoulder. "We were never this bad when we were that age."

"Matter of perspective," he chuckled, nuzzling her, "We should probably ask your dad to be sure."

"He'll say we were wonderful," Katara replied with an arch smile, "In fact, we should probably win some kind of award for the 'most ideal teenagers to ever walk the earth.'"

Aang flared his eyes wide in a dramatic gesture of approval. "And your dad can present it to us. You are brilliant as always, my wife."

As their playful banter sparked a round of soft giggles and playful nibbles, Tenzin chose that moment to float up into the saddle with his own bundle and immediately rolled his eyes at the sight of his parents wrapped in each other's arms and kissing. He made a small gagging noise. "Does anyone care that I'm standing right here and being scarred emotionally by this blatant display?" he lamented with a loud sigh.

Far from feeling sympathy for Tenzin's plight, Aang broke contact with Katara's mouth long enough to utter two, distinct words: "Go play."

Tenzin was still huffing in annoyance after he glided down from atop Ceba when he unexpectedly caught sight of Lin on the horizon. She wasn't too far a distance from the house, but Tenzin kicked up his air scooter and zoomed to meet her anyway. Seconds later they were converging in a brief hug.

"What are you doing here?" Tenzin asked, "I told you we were leaving today. In a few minutes actually…as soon as my parents stop inspecting each other's tonsils." He shuddered in disgust before refocusing his attention on Lin. "If you'd come any later you would have missed us."

"I know," Lin said, "But I made something for Kya and I wanted you to take it to her." The eleven and a half year old dug around in her pocket for a small a handmade necklace. It had been constructed with a simple, black cord made of rawhide and adorned with a small, round pendant which Lin had carved out of alabaster. She passed it to Tenzin. "I didn't have any money, but I wanted to give her something."

"She'll like it. Kya's into this kind of stuff."

"Yeah, I thought I should do something nice for her since…you know…she's having a baby and all."

Tenzin didn't doubt her sincerity. Their families had been so close for so long that, in many ways, Kya was as much a big sister to Lin as she was to Tenzin. However, there was something telling in the way that Lin kept fidgeting that made Tenzin think that something more had prompted her impromptu visit.

"So is that the only reason you came all the way out here?" he asked, "To give me the necklace for Kya?"

Lin bit her lip, casting a furtive glance over Tenzin's shoulder to make sure his parents were duly occupied before she plucked his sleeve to pull him in closer. Her tone low and almost conspiratorial, she whispered, "I got it."

He blinked at her. "You got what?"

"You know…_it_," Lin emphasized meaningfully.

"It? What's 'it?'"

"_It_, Tenzin," she stressed again, "You know, _it_. Come on, rocks for brains, think about what I'm saying here! The _woman's_ it."

Tenzin snapped back with wide eyes. "Oh," he breathed in surprise right before the full importance of what she was confessing dawned on him, "Ooooh." His first instinct was to recoil, but one glance at Lin's miserable expression changed his mind. Tenzin stamped down any boyish disgust he might have felt at the moment to focus completely on Lin. "When did it happen?"

"This morning," came her sullen reply, "I haven't even told my mom yet."

Though it was a delicate subject and not one Tenzin was at all accustomed to discussing, he felt honored that Lin had thought to confide in him first. He studied her from beneath his lashes, noting how she aimlessly shuffled her feet in the dirt and seemed reluctant to meet his eyes. "So how do you feel about it?"

While Lin usually hid behind a rather tough façade, imitating her mother almost to the letter, Tenzin was among one of the few people who truly knew and understood how vulnerable she was. He had been the one to defend her from the school bullies who had teased her about having no father. He had been the one to dry her frustrated tears when her mother refused to give Lin his identity even after she had pleaded. And he had been the one she had chosen as a partner to carry out her secret and elaborate plan to search for and find her father that very summer.

As a result, there were no secrets between Tenzin and Lin, no such thing as boundaries. They discussed everything from bending and their parents' unending weirdness to the recent changes in their developing bodies with forthright candor. There was no pretense between them and there didn't need to be, not when they accepted one another without rancor or expectation. In some ways, they were closer than siblings. And, given that closeness, Lin had never bothered with sugarcoating her feelings to Tenzin.

"I think it's gross. You know that you actually bleed…_down there_. It's weird and I hate it," she mumbled unhappily.

"Does it hurt?"

Lin shrugged. "Nothing that I can't handle. I mostly don't like the way it feels."

"It's no big deal, Lin," Tenzin sighed in hopes of soothing her, "You're still the same. I can't even tell by looking at you."

"But I'm not the same," she lamented, eyes welling in frustration, "First, it was that whole thing with all the bizarre hair growth and then my chest and now this! I just want my body to stop going crazy, Tenzin! Why is this happening to me?"

"My dad says that it's all part of becoming an adult."

"My mom says the same thing. I still think it's lame."

"I know."

"Are you going to treat me different now?" Lin asked.

"Maybe I should," Tenzin considered thoughtfully, "You _are_ becoming a woman."

She grimaced at the phrase. "Ew! Don't say that!"

"Well, it's true!"

"I don't care!" she fired, "Don't you start opening doors for me and bowing or I'll belt you but good, Tenzin! All I want is for you to stay you and for me to stay me! Nothing has to change. I don't want anything to change!"

"It's going to be okay, Lin," he reassured her calmly.

"No, it isn't!" she lamented, "You're going away and I'm going to be stuck here all alone dealing with this stuff!"

"It's only three weeks and then we're coming back. We always come back."

"Kya didn't come back," Lin reminded him, "How do you know your mom won't fall in love with her new baby and decide to stay in the South Pole forever? Maybe you won't come back, Tenzin. Maybe everything is going to change."

"It won't happen," Tenzin promised, "I could never leave you."

"You're just a kid, Tenzin. You don't get to decide."

He reached out to frame her shoulders, meeting her mutinous gaze squarely. "I would never leave you, Lin."

She wilted against him a little. The last thing she wanted to do was cry, but the rebellious tears leaked from the corners of her eyes regardless of her will. "Thank you for listening to me rant," she whispered, "I know I sound a little crazy."

"Yeah, you do," he agreed with a small smile, "but I don't mind it." He started to say more, but then he heard his mother calling for him. He blew out a mournful sigh. "They're ready to go now," he informed Lin reluctantly, "Take care of Oogi while I'm gone. You can fly him whenever you want."

"You don't have to butter me up, Tenzin." And then in complete contradiction of her actions only a few minutes earlier, she tossed out breezily, "It's not like I'm going to fall apart without you."

"I'll bring you back something special," he promised as she turned to walk away.

"Eh, I don't care what you do," she replied lightly, but then she ruined her careless tone by turning a soft smile back at him over her shoulder, "As long as _you_ come back."

By the time Tenzin made it back over to Ceba after watching Lin disappear over the horizon, Bumi was already sprawled out in the middle of the saddle with his arm thrown over his face. His parents sat side by side atop Ceba's head, waiting patiently. Aang took note of the wistful expression on his son's face as Tenzin bent himself up into the saddle on a cylinder of air.

"You okay?" he asked him.

"Yeah…" Tenzin sighed, still staring off in the direction that Lin had gone, "I'm okay."

The journey proved to be rather uneventful. Tenzin dozed and Bumi sulked while Aang and Katara idly discussed their children and the sobering prospect of becoming grandparents. Before long, however, Aang found himself voicing aloud a matter that had been niggling at his brain for the last hour.

"You think Tenzin and Lin will get married some day?" he wondered aloud in a casual tone.

"Oh no, you don't," Katara laughed, "No more matchmaking for you. Tenzin and Lin can find their own way without your help."

"That's exactly my point," Aang replied, "I recognized that look on Tenzin's face when he said goodbye to Lin before we left. I know what it means."

Katara nuzzled his shoulder, humming softly into the billowing fabric of his robes. "And what does it mean?"

"That he's starting to fall hard and he doesn't even know it," he answered quietly. But his tone and the gentle, adoring way that he was looking at her right then made it clear to Katara that Aang wasn't only talking about their son. He leaned over to brush her lips with a fleeting kiss. "Sometimes I can't get over how beautiful you are, Katara."

In an effort to cover her answering blush, Katara ducked her head and joked, "You sure are fresh for someone who's about to become a grandfather."

Aang groaned, amorous pursuits forgotten. "Ugh, don't remind me. I'm too young to be a grandfather."

"You said the same thing about being a father when you found out I was pregnant with Kya," Katara reminded him wryly.

"That's what makes this all so surreal, Katara. I can still remember what it was like when you were pregnant with her and now…"

"…now she's having a baby of her own," she finished quietly.

"Yeah…"

Katara looped her arm through his and tucked herself closer, seeking his warmth against the biting wind. "Time just keeps moving on, doesn't it?" He made a low murmur of agreement at the statement. "But you know what's funny?" she continued, tipping up a glance at him, "When I'm up here with you like this…I can still remember distinctly what it felt like when we were kids. It's nice to remember that time…to think back on where we've been and how far we've come since then."

Aang pressed a sound kiss to her forehead. "I like where we ended up, you know."

She smiled at him. "Me too."

By the time they reached Kya and Kamik's village night had already fallen like a heavy blanket across the frozen tundra. And although it was the first glimpse they'd had of their daughter in nearly a six month period, Aang and Katara were given very little time to adjust to the sight of Kya's rounded belly before she was resolutely ushering them off to bed only minutes after their arrival. Left with no other alternative, Aang and Katara had stayed up well into the wee hours of the morning, marveling over the changes in their only daughter and setting aside future plans for their unborn grandchild.

The following morning, however, afforded the family with more time to have a proper reunion. Katara, Aang and Tenzin fawned over Kya, patting everything from her abundantly growing hair to her abundantly growing belly. They noted the glowing health of her skin and the genuine happiness sparkling in her eyes with love and laughter and happiness of their own. Every worry and doubt each had harbored before that moment was laid to rest upon seeing with their own eyes how settled and content Kya was. Yet, throughout all of this, Bumi hung back with a moody scowl. As happy as Katara, Aang and Tenzin were for her, Bumi seemed to conversely harbor an equal amount of resentment.

When Kamik and Kya took the family into the village to formally introduce them to friends and neighbors, Bumi had begged off with the excuse that he didn't feel well. Later that evening, when the family came together for idle talk and a simple meal together, Bumi had confined himself to one solitary corner of the hut and ate alone. The following morning when a group of local youths dropped by with an invitation for the boys to join them on an ice-skating excursion, Tenzin had gladly accepted. Bumi, on the other hand, despite the lure of pretty girls, declined.

And so his behavior continued, day after day until the days became a week and the week began to stretch into two. Though her parents assured Kya that Bumi was in nothing more than a typical adolescent funk, she couldn't banish her suspicion that it was something more. Bumi continued to withdraw, eventually reaching a point where he didn't even bother making up an excuse for why he wasn't participating in family activities. He simply wouldn't do it because he didn't want to do it. By the end of the second week then, Kya had finally had enough.

The next morning, after Tenzin had run off with his newfound friends and her father had coaxed her mother into penguin sledding with him with the argument that "44 years old was _not_ too old to play," Kya had sent Kamik off to the market with a bogus request so that she could have time alone with her recalcitrant brother. She found Bumi sitting alone on a ridge of packed snow about half a mile beyond her village. Though it required some considerable effort on her part given her protruding middle, Kya managed to sink down beside him. Bumi flicked her with a disinterested glance.

"Don't you have something more important to do?"

"This _is_ important," Kya insisted, "What's going on with you? Why you're acting like such a jerk to everyone, especially to Kamik and me?"

Bumi averted his face, jaw tight, brows drawn in a deep frown. "I'm not."

"You are. You're incredibly hostile whenever you speak to any of us, if you even speak at all."

"Well excuse me for not fawning all over you like the rest of the family," he muttered.

"Is that why you're mad? Because I'm getting attention and you're not?" she snorted, "That's rich coming from you, Bumi. You forget, it was _my_ world until you showed up."

He pinned her with a penetrating glare, seemingly aggravated by the assumption. "It has nothing to do with that!"

"Then what is it about? Why are you so mad at me?"

"You're going to act like you don't know?"

"I don't know. The last time I saw you, I thought things were good."

"No, Kya! They're not good! You _abandoned_ us! Don't you even care?" he spat suddenly, whirling to his feet before Kya even had time to process the allegation, "We were a family before you got married! It was always the five of us! And then, all of a sudden, along comes Kamik and we don't exist for you anymore! You just decide to leave us behind so you can come live with him here in the _South Pole_ of all places!"

Kya twisted a look up at him both confused and surprised by his intensity. "That's an oversimplification, don't you think? And I thought you loved the South Pole."

"Yeah, when I was six!" he snorted, "Republic City is our home now!"

"Not _our_ home, Bumi," Kya corrected gently, "_Your_ home. My home is here with Kamik."

"You see, that's exactly what I mean," Bumi maintained stubbornly, "We didn't stop being your family just because you married him!"

"I'm not saying you did, but I fell in love, Bumi. I got married. My priorities have changed as they should have," Kya sighed, "You couldn't have expected that I was going to live at home forever. Besides that, I seriously doubt that you really wanted me to stay."

"Of course I did!" he retorted emphatically, "As long as I can remember it's been me and you, Kya! You're my sister! I never imagined a time when you wouldn't be there for me." He schooled his countenance into a tight mask in an effort not to cry. Despite his efforts, devastation was plain in his eyes as he stared down at her. "How could you…how could you just leave me like that?"

"Bumi, being away from you guys has been hard for me too," Kya whispered, blinking back her tears, "I miss Republic City. I miss fighting with you. I miss Tenzin meditating at random moments. I miss Mom and Dad being Mom and Dad. Don't ever think that I came here and suddenly forgot about you guys because I didn't. I miss you every day."

Abruptly drained of his indignation, Bumi dropped back into the snow with a low grunt. "Then come home with us," he entreated, "Mom and Dad would flip out if you did. You know they would be all over you and that baby."

"And what about Kamik?"

"I guess he can come too," Bumi relented begrudgingly.

"You know I can't do that. My place is here now. You know that."

"I wish you'd never gotten married," he muttered.

"Why?" Kya flared, "Don't you want me to be happy?"

Bumi refused to feel guilty for voicing that secret desire aloud. "Everything changed when you got married, Kya," he said, "Everything's different. I don't like it. I want my sister back."

"I'm still here. I'm still your sister. Yeah, it's going to be harder for us to keep in touch with me here in the South Pole and you in Republic City, but remember what Mom and Dad always taught us…"

"…if you want it bad enough then you'll work for it," Bumi recited quietly.

"That's right," Kya commended softly. "You shouldn't blame Kamik for me being here. He and I made the decision _together_, Bumi. This is what I wanted too. And Kamik loves me. If I said the word, he would agree to move back to Republic City in a heartbeat, but I won't do that because the work I'm doing here is too important.

"Right now, you're still young and you're still trying to figure out who you are and what you want," she went on, "But once you do figure it out, what I'm saying to you now will make more sense. Someday you're going to find something that means more to you than anything, even _us_, and you're going to go after it. You won't forgive yourself if you don't."

"Nothing could ever mean more to me than my family, Kya," Bumi declared.

"We'll see," Kya murmured knowingly.

"It still sounds like you're choosing Kamik over us. That's not right. _We're_ your family."

"Kamik is my family too. Just like Dad became Mom's family after they got married. It's the same thing, Bumi. The only difference is that Uncle Sokka and Grandpa don't resent Dad for marrying her, do they?"

His gaze rolled away with the implicit lecture. "No. They don't."

Kya reached out to touch his hand. "Listen, I know you're looking for someone to blame for how you're feeling right now, but it's no one's fault, Bumi," she sighed, "Not yours. Not mine. And not Kamik's. Don't let your anger prevent you from getting to know him better. He's a good man and he could be a good friend to you if you let him be."

"Maybe…" He didn't whisper the word with much enthusiasm but there was no denying that a good deal of hostility had drained from his handsome features.

"Besides, I don't think we should look at our life now and see this situation as a bad thing," Kya considered, "We should see this as a challenge. If anything the distance between us should make us more determined to stay as close to each other as we can."

Bumi slanted a wry smile at her. "Now you sound like Dad."

Kya practically beamed with the declaration. "Well, I take that as a compliment."

His smile broadened. "I meant it as one." Feeling the last vestiges of his bitterness dissolve like melting ice, Bumi rolled to his feet and graciously extended a hand to his sister. "Come on," he sighed, "It's ridiculously cold right now. You probably shouldn't be out here in your condition."

She made a face as she clasped hold of his hand and he pulled her to her feet. "I'm pregnant, Bumi. I'm not on my deathbed."

"I can't help it if I'm concerned for you," he replied with a mischievous sideways smile, "Looks like you're carrying quite a load in there."

Kya growled, her eyes narrowed with menace. "Are you trying to call me fat?"

Bumi took several laughing skips backward. "So what if I am?" he taunted her, "It's not like you could chase me around if I was. More like you'd waddle." When he dared to imitate her walk, Bumi knew he was in for it. Yet, before Kya could rise to the challenge and attempt anchor him to the ground with shackles of ice, a sharp pain suddenly slashed across her abdomen causing Kya to double over in surprise. Bumi rolled his eyes at what he believed was a blatant attempt on her part to manipulate him. "Oh please. You couldn't come up with something better than that? I'm not falling for it, Kya," he said.

"And I'm not kidding around," she replied with the utmost seriousness once the pain subsided, "I think you should help me get back to the village right away."

By the time they had finally shuffled within a few feet of Kya's front door, Kya had already had several contractions and was beginning to have some difficulty talking through them. She gripped her brother's hand with white knuckled force, gritting her teeth through each rising arc of pain. Bumi, witnessing the quick progression of things, was understandably on the verge of freaking out.

"Whatever you do, Kya, hold it in," he begged, "Mom's the baby expert in this family, not me! So please, please hold it in!"

"It's not like I can control that sort of thing, you know," she hissed through clenched teeth.

While Bumi was ineffectually trying to soothe her through the crest of her contraction, a nearby neighbor who noticed their predicament as they hobbled towards the house jogged over to offer her assistance. "Is it the baby, Kya?" she fretted.

Kya managed a terse nod. "I need you to run and find Kamik. I sent him to the market. And bring my parents too," she instructed through huffing breaths, "Look for them over where the penguins gather. You can't miss them. They'll be the two full grown adults playing around in the snow."

The neighbor started to sprint off to fulfill Kya's commands, but stopped short at the last second to suddenly pivot back and regard Kya and Bumi with a dumbfounded frown as if something had just occurred to her. "_The Avatar_ plays in the snow?" she asked rather dubiously.

Biting back their amused snorts, the siblings shook their heads in mutual laughing exasperation. "Don't ask," they replied in unison. And then they laughed out loud over having the same train of thought. Kya turned an amused smile up at her brother then, in that moment forgetting the discomfort she felt. "It's really good to see you again, Bumi. I've missed you, little brother."

He pressed a brotherly kiss to the side of her head and carefully helped her into the house to await her husband and their parents' arrivals, replying sincerely as he did so, "Not half as much as I've missed you."

**~End~**


	21. Crushes, Tattoos and Fatherly Wisdom

**Crushes, Tattoos and Fatherly Wisdom **

"What's with the shuffling?" Aang asked as Tenzin approached, "I'm sensing from you a serious lack of confidence in my tattooing skills."

The thirteen year old appeared, without a doubt, less than enthused. In fact, Aang noted, "downright dejected" would be a more appropriate description. Tenzin loped towards the dojo with shoulders stooped, his head bowed and muttering fervently under his breath. Aang didn't need to glimpse his expression to know that Tenzin was despondent. His body posture screamed it.

And, as he dragged closer, it became readily apparent that he hadn't heard a word his father had spoken. Tenzin ascended the wooden stairs leading off into the meditation dojo and shuffled past Aang, so preoccupied with his thoughts that he didn't even seem to notice anyone standing there. Frowning over the uncharacteristic behavior, Aang followed Tenzin inside and reached out to tap the boy's shoulder.

A moment later he was choking back a stunned yelp of amusement when Tenzin almost leapt through the ceiling in surprise. While Aang collapsed back into a nearby wall desperately trying to keep from doubling over in laughter, Tenzin fumed. "Dad! That wasn't funny!" he raged, keeping his face averted during the rant as if he were too infuriated to even look at Aang, "You nearly gave me a heart attack just now! Aren't you a little old to be sneaking up on people?"

"I…I didn't! I…was…standing right…here…" Aang managed between gurgles of mirth, "I…thought you…saw me at first…! You should have seen how high you jumped! It was priceless!"

Tenzin, however, did not share in his father's hilarity in the least. In fact, he turned away from Aang completely, his spine stiff with vexation. "I'm so glad I was able to provide you with some amusement, Dad. What's a little more humiliation after the awful day I've had thus far?"

Although it was in Tenzin's nature to err on the more serious side of matters, the young man did, at least, possess some ability to laugh at himself on occasion. Yet when the he didn't even betray even a _glimmer_ of a smile at his father's good-natured ribbing, Aang knew something serious was bothering him. More alarming was the fact that Tenzin seemed to be avoiding meeting his eyes. Aang straightened then, his transformation from incurable prankster to concerned father nearly instantaneous.

"Okay, what happened?" he asked.

Grunting under his breath and careful to keep his face turned aside, Tenzin dropped down onto the bleached wood floor of the meditation dojo. "I'd rather not talk about it," he mumbled, "Let's just get started. At least _one_ good thing can come out of this day." He removed his shirt and scooted around to present his father with his back.

Aang dropped down behind him but made no move to reach for his tools. Instead, he placed his hands on Tenzin's shoulders. "I get why you're anxious, Tenzin," he said, "Receiving one's airbender tattoos is a big deal. _But_…this is a very spiritual process we're about to embark upon. There is also a _lot_ of pain involved and you'll need to be able to meditate completely if you're going to endure it. That's not going to happen if you're burdened with conflict before we even begin."

Tenzin dropped his head forward with a defeated groan. "Somehow I knew you were going to say that."

"So then save me the trouble giving you some five minute speech laden with spiritual mumbo jumbo and just tell me what's on your mind already," Aang sighed mildly.

As expected, the teen vacillated for a few seconds more before he finally said, "It's simple really. I don't understand women."

Aang tipped a glance around at Tenzin, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth when he glimpsed his son's dejected profile. "You're not alone, young airbender. Join the club. And, unfortunately, understanding them doesn't become any easier as you get older."

"Great!" Tenzin mumbled sardonically, "So then I probably shouldn't even waste my time trying."

After giving Tenzin's bare shoulder a consoling pat, Aang leaned back. "Now, I never said all that. I said women are hard to understand, but I never said it was _impossible_."

"With this girl? Trust me, Dad. It's impossible! She's…She's…"

"She's what?" Aang prompted when Tenzin continued to flail around for a description. He wished that Tenzin would turn around and speak to him face to face, but he didn't want to push the issue for fear the teen would clam up entirely. Still, it was a little disconcerting talking to his back. "Tell me," he cajoled when Tenzin continued silent.

"She's incredibly infuriating, that's what she is!" Tenzin exploded in a huff, "She's rude and she's obnoxious and she's completely lacking in social grace and etiquette! She wouldn't know a boundary even if it bit her in the butt, yet _she_ wants to call out other people! And as far as sensitivity goes…_a soy bean has more_," he concluded in a dramatic grumble.

"O…kay. That's a very thorough description. Does this apparent 'bane of your existence' have a name by any chance?"

"That's the thing, Dad," Tenzin sighed mournfully, "She _should_ be the 'bane of my existence.' I would _love_ for her to be exactly that. But she's not." He dragged both hands down the length of his face in a supremely frustrated gesture, confusion stamped into every rigid line of his body. "Even when she's driving me crazy, I can't stop thinking about her."

"Well, Tenzin, you have reached that age when those really strong feelings for the opposite sex begin to assert themselves…"

Tenzin groaned and brought his knees against his chest tightly as if he meant to tuck himself into the smallest ball possible. "Dad, please don't. If you have a shred of feeling for me at all, for the love of Appa, do not finish that sentence. I'm begging you."

Aang swallowed back his snicker. "I'm only saying that what you're feeling is normal."

"I wouldn't go that far," Tenzin muttered, but not in a tone so low that Aang couldn't hear him, "What I feel for this girl is anything but normal. I can't eat. I can't train. I can't study. I feel like I'm obsessed. I hate it."

"Sounds like it," Aang murmured.

Tenzin pressed his face into his knees. "I wish I didn't feel anything for her at all."

"Okay, I'm going to try and take a wild guess on who you're talking about here so we can stop speaking in code," Aang ventured in a careful tone, acutely aware of Tenzin's doleful groan, "This is about Lin, isn't it?"

His shoulders tensed immediately with the question. "Did the 'lack of social grace and etiquette' give it away?"

"Yep. Pretty much."

"I'm such an idiot."

"Why? Because you have feelings for your friend?" Aang nudged his shoulder, prompting the teen to lift his head. He still didn't turn around, however. Aang decided to ignore that for the moment and chose to focus on the fact that Tenzin was, at least, willing to listen to him. "Tenzin, there's nothing wrong with that. You and Lin have been in each other's lives since you were babies. It's only natural that the friendship you felt for her would eventually evolve into something more. Lin's a very pretty girl."

Tenzin shifted around a bit, just enough to present his father with his profile. "I thought that too, but it turns out that I couldn't be more wrong."

"She doesn't feel the way you do?" Aang surmised gently.

Tenzin's gaze skittered away with the query. "No. No, she doesn't."

Aang's first instinct was to pull Tenzin into his arms for a comforting hug. In the past, he and Katara had often soothed Kya and Bumi's bruises, both physical and emotion, with tender hugs and kisses. They had welcomed those affectionate gestures even long after they entered the age where most kids balked at such overt displays of comfort. Tenzin, however, was different.

He had never been one to welcome being coddled. In many respects he had never had a child's mentality so he never wanted to be treated as one. Besides that, given the delicate nature of Tenzin's dilemma, Aang seriously doubted that a hug would be enough to mend his son's lacerated heart. And yet, despite knowing all of that, Aang couldn't quite stop himself from tugging Tenzin against him anyway for a brief hug anyway.

"I know you hate it," he acknowledged softly, "but you looked like you needed one."

Once again, Tenzin turned his face aside. "I'm fine, Dad. This thing with Lin didn't work out the way I was expecting it to, but I'm dealing with it."

"So you thought that Lin might return your feelings, huh?"

"I was sure she did. Now I'm confused and I don't know what she's feeling."

"You want to talk about what happened?" Aang prodded.

Although he shook his head in denial, a few seconds later the words were tumbling from his mouth. "It's all so stupid," he muttered, "At first I didn't even want to do anything about it. I mean I guess nothing had really changed between us. She acted the way she always has. But sometimes…sometimes I would catch her looking at me and…" He seemed to drift off into space, momentarily caught up in his reverie. Finally, he said, "It just felt like something was different."

"So what did you do?"

"Like I said, I wasn't going to _do _anything. Lin is my best friend and I didn't want to ruin what we had," Tenzin explained, "But once I started thinking about us being together…I couldn't stop thinking about it."

"I know that feeling," Aang sighed.

"I tried to ignore it, but the feelings wouldn't go away. I was thinking that I should go to Lin and tell her how I felt, but then I spoke to Bumi and he said—,"

"—Wait a second," Aang interrupted, his mouth falling open in shock, "You went to _your brother_ with this problem?" Tenzin's nod of confirmation provoked a deep, chagrined groan from Aang. "Tenzin, why would you go to Bumi, of all people?" he demanded dubiously, "If you needed to talk to someone then why not come to me?"

"Bumi has a lot of experience with girls, Dad," the teen reasoned, "I don't know why, but he's a chick magnet. They're all over him. And, no offense, but the only girl you've ever been with is Mom. I needed an expert."

Rolling his eyes in both amusement and affront, Aang snorted, "And what advice did the 'expert' give you?"

"Bumi said that if I went to Lin and told her my feelings that I would weaken my position with her," Tenzin recited, "I really didn't know what that meant exactly but Bumi seemed pretty adamant that it would be a bad thing. He said that I couldn't make myself look pathetic and that, instead of going to Lin with my feelings, I had to wait for her to come to me. He said I needed to have 'maximum aloofness.'"

"Oh brother…"

"Bumi said that by not acknowledging Lin's feelings or telling her about mine, I would make her like me even more."

Aang dragged his hand down his face, not knowing whether he should laugh or cry at Tenzin's naiveté. "And how did this strategy work out for you?"

Tenzin flashed him a quick look in his direction, his tone dripping with sarcasm when he said, "You mean before or after she got annoyed with me for acting like a 'mentally deranged doofus?' It took four days for her to even realize _I_ was ignoring _her_!"

"So it didn't work out," Aang concluded succinctly, "How shocking."

Not surprisingly, Tenzin completely missed the mockery in his father's tone. "I know! I went to Bumi and I told him what happened. He said that I was doing it wrong and what I needed was a demonstration. So he had me go into the city with him and some of his friends so I could 'watch the master in action.'"

Aang leaned forward and propped his cheek onto his fist. "Oh, I can't wait to hear this part."

"Dad, you wouldn't believe it," Tenzin huffed, shaking his head, "Bumi used some of the cheesiest pick up lines that I have ever heard and you know what?"

"What?"

"They worked! No one shoved him in the dirt or slapped him! Those girls giggled and blushed over everything he said! He ended up making _three_ different dates!"

"I'm assuming that you rushed right to Lin to try this technique yourself, didn't you?" Tenzin's gloomy sigh was answer enough. "Failed miserably, huh?"

"She shoved me in the dirt," Tenzin confirmed tersely.

"So at what point did you finally come to the conclusion that Bumi's advice wasn't all that sound?"

"After I kissed Lin, turned on the 'ultimate seduction' as Bumi calls it and…she punched me in the face."

At that point, he did what Aang had been silently beseeching him to do since the moment they entered the dojo together. Tenzin scooted around and finally met his father's eyes directly, revealing the exact reason why he hadn't done so before then. Though the swelling around his left eye wasn't too severe at present, if his bruised skin was any indication, Aang suspected that it would worsen soon enough. By evening he was certain that Tenzin wouldn't be able to see out of the eye at all. Aang emitted a low whistle.

"That's quite a shiner you got there."

"You can thank Lin's right hook for that," Tenzin grumbled, "That girl has an arm like you wouldn't believe."

Aang leaned in closer to delicately inspect his son's injured eye. "I think your mom might be able to take care of that for you."

"NO!" Tenzin cried before Aang had even finished the suggestion, "She can't know about this at all!"

"Tenzin, you can't hide it from her indefinitely. What are you going to do? Zip through the house with your head down until it heals on its own?"

"That'll work."

Aang shook his head. "That's not feasible and you know it."

"Please, Dad…I don't want her to know."

He regarded his son with resigned sympathy. "I'll do what I can to help you hide it," he sighed, quickly adding before Tenzin could fall all over himself with gratitude, "_But_…I still think you should let her help you."

"She'll want to know how it happened."

"I think she'll understand, Tenzin."

The teen shifted uneasily with the reassurance. "I don't know about that."

"Why?" Aang pressed intuitively, spying the guilt that flashed across Tenzin's features, "Did something else happen that you're not telling me?" Tenzin's squirming increased. "Did you do more than kiss Lin?"

"She kissed me back, Dad!" he flared defensively, blushing furiously, "When I first did it, I could tell she was shocked, but after a few seconds, she started to kiss me back. I _know_ she liked it. I felt it." He dropped his eyes. "But I guess I got a little too carried away because I…well I…I kinda…"

"…took it too far?"

Tenzin jerked a nod, blush deepening. "She felt so good and so soft and I just wanted to know what she felt like…" he peeked up at Aang through his lashes, "…you know…what _they_ felt like. I barely even touched them, Dad."

Initially, Aang was at a loss as to how to respond to the mumbled confession. He couldn't say he had ever had that experience. His courtship with Katara had been tentative and painfully slow at times. Even in the face of raging hormones and burning curiosity, it had taken Aang months to work up the courage to caress Katara so intimately and even then he only did so because Katara left absolutely no doubt that she wanted to be touched there. On the one hand, he had to admire his son's boldness and on the other…he couldn't help but think that Tenzin had pulled a superlatively stupid move, one that rivaled even his older brother's asinine escapades.

Then again, he and Katara had forged a friendship in their early teens which had budded into more soon after. Tenzin and Lin, however, had been friends practically since their beginning. They had shared essentially every milestone either of them had passed together. The summer that Lin had turned twelve they had even run away together. It had taken him, Katara, Sokka and Toph weeks to find them.

There was a certain ease between them, a lack of boundaries that hadn't necessarily defined Aang's relationship with Katara. It made sense that, even during their first kiss, Tenzin might feel comfortable enough with Lin to take the liberties that he did. Still, Aang didn't want Tenzin to think that his familiarity and friendship with Lin meant that no limitations had to exist between them.

With that in mind, Aang said, "I'm sure you know now that it was a bad move, right? It's not something you should do again, Tenzin."

"The black eye made that pretty clear." He fiddled with his hands. "I don't know what I did wrong. I…I thought she _liked_ kissing me. And I liked kissing her. I only wanted to be closer. I wasn't really even thinking about touching her there. It…It sort of just happened!"

"It's a complicated issue, Tenzin. Just because a girl kisses you that doesn't mean she wants you…um…feeling up her special places."

Tenzin hunched forward with a longsuffering groan. "Please someone kill me now."

"Besides that, it was only your first kiss and what you attempted to do with Lin was pretty intimate," Aang reasoned patiently, "You don't have to go so fast."

"But isn't kissing intimate too?" Tenzin asked.

"Yeah. Sure it is."

"So then what's the difference between kissing her because I want to be close and…and touching her because I want to be close? It all feels like the same thing."

"It's not just about _your_ feelings though, Tenzin," Aang told him, "You have to be sure that you and your partner are on the same page otherwise it could end up in hurt feelings or, in your case…" he reached out to tenderly finger Tenzin's swelling eye, "…bodily injury. Trust me. I know of what I speak."

"Then how am I supposed to know if she wants what I want? Am I supposed to ask her?"

"Tenzin, when it's the right time you _both_ will know it," Aang said, "But right now, you're a thirteen year old boy whose hormones are doing the thinking for him rather than his head. Does making life changing decisions in that state of mind sound reasonable to you?"

"I guess not."

"So what do you think you should do about it?"

Tenzin shrugged self-consciously. "I should slow down. I should think about what I'm doing and not get so caught up in what I'm feeling and…" he finished with a billowing sigh, "I should apologize to Lin for going so far. I guess I can understand how I could have made her feel uncomfortable."

"That's a good idea," his father commended.

"And I guess when I start to feel like I want to do _more_ than kiss her, then that's when I should stop."

"Also a good idea."

"Of course, this is going on the assumption that Lin will ever speak to me again and probably she won't," Tenzin mumbled bleakly.

"She'll talk to you again," Aang reassured him, "Just give her a couple of days to calm down."

"How can you be so sure?"

Aang shrugged. "You and Lin are best friends. She'll forgive you. Your mother forgave me." Tenzin gaped and sputtered at the admission. "It wasn't the same situation as yours, but it's similar enough. It was right before I was supposed to face Firelord Ozai for the final time. I was feeling scared and uncertain and all I really wanted was to tell your mother how much I loved her. You see, we had kissed once before, but we didn't really talk about how we felt afterwards so the whole thing kind of festered between us.

"Well, a few months later, during this really horrible play, I decided to confront her about her feelings," he recounted, "She told me that she was confused. Needless to say, I had the brilliant idea that if I kissed her again then she would somehow be less confused. It wasn't the best idea I've ever had."

"You got punched too, huh?" Tenzin commiserated.

"No. Not exactly," Aang replied wryly, "But the brutal way your mother shot me down afterwards? I would have preferred being punched."

"Ouch, Dad."

"The point is that she came around eventually," he emphasized, "but more importantly that I gave her the space she needed to do it. And that's what you need to do for Lin right now."

"Okay."

"And stop taking your brother's advice on love, okay?" Aang advised, "Bumi's cheesy pick up lines might work for him, but you're different, Tenzin and your relationship with Lin is different. You've never played games with her before so don't start now."

"I hear you," Tenzin whispered. He stared up at his father with a hopeful expression. "Are you still going to give me my tattoos or am I not worthy anymore?"

"Tenzin, making mistakes doesn't make you unworthy. If that was the case I would have never earned my tattoos. You're a good kid. You're not afraid to take a hard look at yourself, see your flaws and then fix them. That makes you _more_ than worthy."

"So I can still get them?"

"Of course. We just need to do one thing first…"

Though it took a fair amount of arguing on his part, Aang managed to convince Tenzin to, not only spill the story of the black eye to his mother, but allow her to heal the injured eye as well. Afterwards, he and Tenzin had retreated to the dojo where they spent nearly two days in the sacred spiritual ritual of applying it pigment that would become Tenzin's airbender tattoos. When those two days had concluded and the third morning dawned, both airbenders were exhausted but while Aang had gratefully retired to his bed, Tenzin remained awake. He lingered in the dojo, fascinated and ridiculously proud of himself as he surveyed his nude form in the small, oval mirror there and admired the sleek blue lines of his tattoo.

"Not bad."

Tenzin yelped and made a quick grab for his discarded robe, wrapping it around his middle as he rounded to face his best friend with a deep scowl. "Lin! Gah, don't you have any decorum?"

"What?" she replied with an uncaring shrug, "Why are you so modest all of a sudden? It's not anything I haven't seen before hundreds of times, Tenzin."

"It's different now," he mumbled awkwardly.

Not yet ready to tackle the truthfulness of that declaration, Lin instead concentrated on appraising Tenzin's new tats. "They look awesome," she breathed. She reached out her hand as if she wanted to trace the pattern with her fingers, but thought better of it at the last second. Instead she asked, "Does it hurt?"

"Only a little. My mom helped with most of it," he said, acutely aware that he was standing there with her while practically naked. Tenzin valiantly ignored his body's startlingly quick reaction to that reality even as he knew he was turning red with embarrassment. He clutched the knot holding his robe together even tighter. "What are you doing here, Lin?" he asked her somewhat moodily, "Come to punch me in my other eye?"

"Don't be such a baby," she scoffed, "From the looks of things, I barely did any damage."

"Oh, you did damage," Tenzin refuted, "But my mom took care of that too."

They surveyed one another in uncomfortable silence. Tenzin stared down at his bare feet. Lin coughed. He tried to will his burgeoning erection into submission by thinking of the most repulsive things he could imagine. Lin pretended not to notice his struggle. When they both finally found the courage to speak to one another again they inevitably spoke at the same time, each one blurting out an ardent apology.

Lin bit back a smile. "You first."

"I'm sorry I groped you the other day," Tenzin sighed in remorse, "We were kissing and you felt…and I was…" He faltered into silence, groaning inwardly. "I guess I got really carried away, that's all."

"You know that I'm self conscious about them," Lin mumbled, eyes averted.

"I don't know why," he whispered, drawing her gaze back to his with the fervid words, "I think they're beautiful. I think _you're_ beautiful, Lin."

The confession provoked yet another round of blushing and an inability to meet each other's eyes. "What are we doing, Tenzin?" Lin wondered aloud in a mournful voice, "What's happening between us?"

"I don't know. Lately, when I look at you…when I think about you, I just have all these feelings inside of me and…"

"…Me too," she whispered.

"Then maybe we should do something about it."

"Something like what?"

"Something like…I don't know…be together."

Tenzin wanted to inch closer to her, wanted to brush his fingers across cheek as he had done the other day, wanted to feel the softness of her lips beneath his, but his chaotic emotions were so close to the surface and his hormones racing so violently that he knew it was a bad idea. His father's words about thinking with his head and not with his hormones echoed like a ringing bell in his ears. He could practically hear his dad telling him to think of Lin. Tenzin didn't want to make yet another mistake, especially so soon after she had forgiven him. And, because _showing_ her his feelings wasn't at all an option right then, Tenzin decided to tell her.

"I want you to be my girlfriend, Lin. I want us to be a couple."

She digested that with a short guffaw, her expression less than thrilled. "And what? You'll hold my hand at school and carry my books home? I don't want to be anything like those idiots at school! That's lame, Tenzin. It's not us."

"Nothing has to change if you don't want it to," he rushed to reassure her, "We'll still act the way we always have, except now we'll kiss each other…I mean, if that's what you want, Lin," he finished in swift afterthought.

She dropped her eyes, her cheeks suffusing with warm color. "I liked kissing you, Tenzin. I'd like to do it again."

"I wasn't so sure," he said, "You know…with all the violence and everything."

"I'm sorry I punched you, okay! I wasn't planning to do it! It was a reflex," she retorted defensively, "You shocked me! I wasn't expecting you to put your hands there!"

"I've touched you there before. I help you tape them down before we train all the time!"

"But you've never touched me like _that_," she argued, "It made me feel funny."

Tenzin swallowed audibly. "Funny like how?" he whispered.

She chanced a furtive glance at his bare chest, blushing anew even though, even reality, she had seen him this way countless times before. "Funny like how I feel right now…all fluttery and weird in my stomach," she whispered back. She jumped with Tenzin's sharp intake of breath. Their eyes collided in a profound stare. "So, on that note, I should probably get back home," she said.

"Yeah…"

"I'll come by tomorrow and maybe we can take Oogi for a ride or something."

"Okay."

Lin waged a visible battle within herself before she finally bit her lip in a bid for courage. She made a quick lunge forward and pressed a clumsy kiss to Tenzin's mouth. His eyes widened with pleased shock. "That's all you're getting for now," she told him resolutely. "Tenzin, I don't know if I'm ready for all this other stuff so…maybe we can just take baby steps for a little while, at least until my head catches up with the rest of me. Okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," Tenzin agreed eagerly, "We can do that. It's okay. Whatever you want."

"Good. I'll see you tomorrow."

He drifted to the entrance of the dojo and stared after her, his expression softened by a wistful smile as he watched his friend…_his girlfriend_ saunter away. "Yeah…" he sighed, "Tomorrow."

**~End~**


	22. From Boys to Men

**From Boys to Men**

"You need some help in here?"

Katara nearly dropped her broom. It was a sweet offer. That much couldn't be argued. However, she found it a bit suspect coming from her eldest son, who was known to possess a very vocal aversion to household chores. While Aang and Tenzin were always eager to volunteer their services and assist Katara in whatever capacity she needed them, Bumi would often disappear before she even finished making the request.

Now _he_ was seeking her out and _offering_ himself? It did not compute. Understandably then, Katara's mother instincts began tingling. Immediately her first thought was, "Good gracious, what has this boy done now?"

She had asked herself that very same question countless times since the summer Bumi turned thirteen. He had always possessed something of a wild streak as a child, but that untamed side of his personality simply exploded once he entered puberty. Because he had absolutely no fear, there was no task for Bumi that proved too dangerous or too daring. Katara had set quite a number of bones, mended more than her share of cuts and bruises and had nursed, at least, two head injuries for him during that harrowing period of time. Katara was practically a nervous wreck every time he left the house because she dreaded him not coming home in one piece or, worse still, not coming home at all.

In addition to his natural tendency towards recklessness, it also didn't help that Bumi's good looks and his natural charisma brought young women flocking to him in droves. It had been more than a little disturbing for Katara to wake in the mornings to knocks on her front door and timid requests for Bumi to "come out and play" from random girls that she had never seen before. Or, to travel to the marketplace with her sons, and note at least half a dozen young women blushing furiously or else doing something utterly stupid in order to catch Bumi's attention.

And, of course, Bumi ate up their adoration. His ego inflated so much that Katara was surprised that he didn't float up clear into the stratosphere. Surprisingly enough, however, her level-headed husband hadn't been much help when it came to instilling Bumi with some much needed humility. He preened over Bumi's popularity with the young ladies almost as much as their son did. "Those are _my_ genes," he would often say with a wide, toothy smile filled with satisfaction. Katara would usually reward him for such declarations with a face full of pillow.

Inevitably, however, the attention Bumi received from the opposite sex invariably came with unwanted attention from their parents as well. As a result, Bumi being unceremoniously delivered to them in the middle of the night by some irate father had become a staple in their lives. Eventually, Katara and Aang became besieged with a host of parental complaints and threats due to Bumi's undeniable love of the ladies and their equally undeniable love of him.

With all of this in mind, Katara's thoughts instantly veered to the worst case scenario as a possible reason for Bumi suddenly deciding to become "Momma's little helper." He had gotten some poor girl pregnant. Groaning inwardly, Katara set aside her broom and regarded her son with a woeful expression. "Okay, what's her name, who are her parents and do you have any intention at all of marrying her?"

Bumi stared at her blankly. "Am I supposed to know what you're talking about right now? I was just thinking you might want me to wash the dishes."

"Don't play coy with me, Bumi!" she scolded him.

He took a cautious step backwards. "Mom, you're freaking me out. Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You've gotten some poor girl in trouble, haven't you?" Katara accused him darkly, "That's why you're here in my kitchen right now putting on the 'good son' act. Oh Bumi, why couldn't you keep it in your pants for a change?" she finished on a broken wail.

"What? Mom, no!" he protested stridently, caught somewhere between laughter and horror, "That's not why I came in here to talk to you! I can't believe you would think that about me." He sniffed in mock outrage, though the corners of his mouth were pulling in a crooked smile. "Frankly, I'm a little offended and hurt that you jumped to such a conclusion. I'm not sure the pain can be soothed."

"Bumi…" she growled in warning.

"Mom, seriously, it's not what you're thinking," he reassured her with a hearty laugh, "Relax, okay! I can assure you that there are no little Bumis or Bumis to be out there anywhere. I'm very careful. I might love the ladies, but I don't love the babies."

Katara slumped forward with a massive sigh. She pressed a hand to her thumping heart. "Thank goodness. What a relief that is."

"Good to know that the thought of me giving you grandchildren is apparently a fate worse than death," he joked.

Flustered, Katara huffed out in a stammer, "I…well you see…you know that is not what I meant! I would _love_ for you to give me grandchildren, Bumi. As soon as you find _one_ girl to settle down with. That's all I ask. Just one. Then you can start a family."

"Well, that probably won't be happening for a while yet…" he hedged.

Katara was put on instant alert with Bumi's somber tone. Her eldest son was serious on only the rarest of occasions. Although it was now clear that he hadn't come to tell her that he was going to be a father, it was evident that what Bumi _did_ have to say was just as life changing. Once again, Katara found herself inundated with pervading sense of dread.

"Why do you say that?" she asked, "Has something happened?"

"Nothing's happened except maybe a few shifting priorities."

His mother squinted at him in confusion. "I'm not following you."

"I've just…um…I've made a few decisions lately and I wanted to discuss them with you. Do you have time?"

Katara nodded and gestured for him to take seat. "Decisions?" she echoed, pulling up a chair for herself as he sat down, "This sounds pretty serious. That's not you."

Bumi lifted his shoulders in an evasive shrug, seeming to have difficulty meeting her eyes. "Yeah, well I'm eighteen now, Mom. I gotta grow up eventually, right?"

"I suppose you do." She reached across the table to pat his hand. "So what did you want to talk to me about?"

After inhaling a deep, fortifying breath, Bumi said, "Lately, I've been thinking about the future. A couple of months back when we went to the South Pole and helped to establish that new city, I was surprised by how fulfilled I felt afterwards. Being there, helping those people really gave me a sense of purpose. I liked that feeling."

"Helping your fellowman always has that effect."

"It really does," Bumi agreed, "and I've been thinking about that a lot. Our family has always been rather dedicated to serving others. It's our thing. Dad's the Avatar and the hope of the entire world. You're a member of the White Lotus Society and probably the most awesome waterbending instructor who's ever lived. Kya moved to the South Pole to serve our Southern Water Tribe brothers in their time of need. Even Tenzin is involved in some Republic City humanitarian efforts. And then there's me," he concluded with a measure of dissatisfaction.

"Why do you say it like that? You've done plenty as well, Bumi. You've always been the first to volunteer your assistance for relief projects."

"But I'm usually a tag-along on everyone else's projects," he argued, "I haven't really taken a personal stand for myself or really given much consideration to the direction I want my life to take until very recently. I want to do something that matters too."

"Bumi, you're only eighteen years old. There's plenty of time to figure it out."

He traced the craggy table top with his index finger, once again darting his gaze in every direction except her face when he asked in a low, timid tone, "What if I've already figured it out, Mom?"

"Well, that would be great!" Katara enthused.

"I was hoping you'd say that because, well…I've joined the United Forces."

The statement left Katara feeling as if she were trapped in a wind tunnel. She knew he was speaking but the words sounded indistinct in her ears. She blinked at him. Her smile collapsed in an instant as the import of what he was saying fully began to dawn on her. "You did _WHAT?_"

"My ship is due to leave first thing in the morning."

"_WHAT?_"

"Dad already knows about it. He's been really supportive."

"He's been _WHAT?_"

With each dubious exclamation, Katara's voice rose another octave so that by the last explosion Bumi was literally cringing over her reaction. "I'm sensing some extreme dissatisfaction coming from you right now, Mom," he pointed out carefully.

"No? You think?" Katara snapped back.

As far as she was concerned, she was entitled to her meltdown. Only recently had she grown accustomed to the idea of Kya living in the South Pole. She lamented daily her inability to spend more time with her granddaughter and watch her grow up. The changes in her family were coming at Katara fast and furious and she wasn't sure she was prepared to adjust to yet another. She wasn't ready to say goodbye to another child, especially not so soon after bidding the first one farewell.

"Mom…" Bumi said, interrupting her silent musing, "I was hoping you could be happy for me."

The meek declaration was all Katara needed to regain control of herself and school her emotions. She inhaled and exhaled several times, taking deep, even breaths in an effort to slow her heart rate and quiet her thoughts. She was panicked. She was unhappy. But she wasn't oblivious to Bumi's need for her approval. His gray eyes were practically begging for it. Consequently, when she spoke again, her words were significantly calmer and softened with grace but Katara was no less upset.

"You've joined the United Forces?" she recited carefully in stunned disbelief. When he nodded, she dropped her head forward with a groan. "Bumi, I don't understand. Why? Why would you do such a thing without discussing with us first?"

"I told you already. I discussed it with Dad. We sat down together and weighed the pros and cons and he told me that if I really wanted it then I should go for it."

Katara crossed her arms in simmering displeasure. "Oh, he did, did he? How wonderful of him to encourage you in your quest to seek your own death without talking to me about it first!"

"Don't be angry with him, Mom," Bumi pleaded, "It was my decision not to say anything. Dad wanted me to tell you a long time ago, but I was afraid that if I came to you with it too soon that you would talk me out of it and…I didn't want to be talked out of it."

"Can you blame me?" Katara cried, "Bumi, you're going to be far, far away from home. The United Forces are responsible for squashing insurrections that rise all over the world. It's a very dangerous job! You'll be in combat! Not to mention the fact, who knows when we'll see you again?"

"I'll get home when I can as often as I can," he promised.

"No. No," Katara protested stubbornly, "That's not going to work for me. I don't want you to do it. I can't believe your father talked you into this nonsense!"

"He didn't talk me into anything," Bumi retorted, "He _listened_ to me. And that's what I'm asking you to do right now. Please listen to me, Mom. This is what I want. I leave first thing in the morning and I don't want the last conversation between us to be a fight."

"Why do you have to leave so soon?" Katara lamented, blinking back her tears.

"I already have an assignment."

"Where?"

"The waters just off the coast of the Northern Water Tribe," he said, "I won't go there right away. I have to go through basic training in the middle Earth Kingdom first, but after that I set sail for the North Pole. I'll probably be there for 18 months and then after that, who knows?" That revelation had Katara dissolving into despondent tears. "Mom, please don't cry," Bumi pleaded, "I'm not doing this to hurt you. I thought you'd be proud because I was finally doing something with myself! You're the one who's always saying 'get off your butt, Bumi!' So I did. I got off my butt."

"This wasn't what I had in mind," she sniffled.

"Does it matter?"

"Yes! Why the United Forces?" Katara sobbed, "There are so many other things you could do here in Republic City alone. You could run for a seat on the Council. You could join the police force. You could help your father. What could be nobler than serving as the Avatar's aid? I don't understand this, Bumi."

"This is what I wanted to do," he said softly, "It felt right. It _feels_ right." Katara glanced away then, as if she meant to shut out his words. Bumi watched her dab at her falling tears in silence before finally finding the wherewithal to speak again. "Do you remember when we went to visit Kya in the South Pole when Miki was born?" His mother nodded. "I was angry with Kya because she left and moved so far away. I thought she was betraying us because she didn't choose to stay here. And do you know what she said to me?"

Katara tentatively met his eyes. "What did she say?"

"She said that one day I was going to find something that meant more to me than anything else, even my love for you guys," he told her, "And she told me that when that happened, I shouldn't deny myself. I should follow my heart. Well, it's happened, Mom. I know what I want to do with my life and if I stayed here then I'd be denying myself. I wouldn't be happy."

"I don't want you to do that," she whispered, "I don't want you to deny yourself."

"Are you angry with me?"

"No. No, I'm…shocked," she confessed after a moment, "I wasn't expecting to have to say goodbye to you so soon. I knew that you would leave home eventually, but I thought I would have more time before that happened. I suppose I should have seen it coming though. You are a man now."

"Though I can admit I haven't always acted like it," Bumi chuckled wryly, "I know I've driven you crazy these last few years, but I'd like to think that I've grown up a lot in the past few months and I want my life to matter somehow. I don't want my whole existence to be about chasing girls."

Katara bit back an amused smile. "So you've given that up now?"

"Not on your life," Bumi denied quickly, "I said I didn't want it to be my _whole_ existence not that I was done with it entirely. Come on, Mom! This is me here."

"I know. I know," she laughed before reciting, "Bumi loves the ladies." She got up from the table then and came around the other side to pull him into a tight hug. "I'm going to miss you very much."

"I'm going to miss you too, Mom."

Filled with resolve to support him no matter how much her heart was breaking, Katara took a step back and clapped her hands together. "So what can I do to get you ready for your trip?"

"Oh, I'm already packed. I'm good."

"Bumi, I've seen the way you pack. Let me see what you're taking."

He responded to that with a groaning sigh of exasperation. "Oh, Mom…really? I'm a grown man! You just said so. I don't need you pawing through my underwear! It's humiliating!"

Katara pointed in the general direction of his bedroom. "March, mister." As he rose to his feet with a round of grumbling and shuffled to do her bidding, she strolled behind him and drawled in a laughing tone, "Now don't pout, sweetie. Just think of this as my contribution in readying you for boot camp."

However, the next morning her teasing and laughter were inevitably replaced with noisy tears once again when she watched Bumi sling his bag onto his shoulder and prepare to board the ship that would take him away from them for a year and a half or possibly more. Bumi regarded his father, mother and brother in the whipping wind, his smile bittersweet, but also filled with hope and excitement for the future.

"Well, this is it," he sighed, "Say your goodbyes, family."

His father was the first to step forward and enfold him in firm embrace. "You take care of yourself," Aang whispered, "Don't do anything too stupid."

Bumi grinned. "I'll try, Dad. No promises though."

Wiping surreptitiously at his falling tears, Aang took a step back to frame his son's shoulders in his hands. "I really am proud of you, Bumi. You surprised me. I can't say that you became the man I had imagined you would become because you more than surpassed my expectations on that score. I'll miss you very much, son."

"I'll miss you too." Next up was his mother and her hug was decidedly more suffocating than his father's had been. "Mom…Mom…" he squeaked helplessly, "Ease up. You're going to break a rib."

Katara leaned back to cradle his cheeks in her hands. "I want you to be careful and watch your back and make good decisions," she admonished him sternly, "I've already written a letter to Zuko. He knows your commanding officer and he promised me that you'll be looked after while you're in the North Pole."

"Aww, Mom," Bumi groaned, "What kind of man has his mommy calling in favors for him? You'll ruin my rep before I even build one!"

Unapologetic, Katara briskly straightened his ruffled collar. "And make sure you keep your hair trimmed," she reminded him tearfully, "If I don't stay on you about it, you go around looking like a shaggy wolf and that reflects badly on me!"

"Yes, Mother," he agreed dutifully.

"And remember to eat at least three time a day, Bumi," Katara wept, "You tend to skip meals when you're distracted and you'll need plenty of protein to keep your strength up."

"I will, Mom. I promise. Gah. Can you cut the cord already?"

When his father was finally able to untangle him from his weeping mother's viselike hold, it was then his younger brother's turn to say goodbye. Tenzin stepped forward with a solemn expression, gray eyes brimming with tears that he refused to shed. Somehow seeing that broke Bumi's heart most of all. He found the prospect of saying goodbye to Tenzin harder than anything else. Although he had made it his life's mission to torment his Tenzin in all the ways he could think of, Bumi adored his studious younger brother and he knew that Tenzin adored him as well.

Now, at nearly fourteen years of age and standing only six or so inches shorter than Bumi, Tenzin was about to embark on his own personal journey towards manhood. In Bumi's absence, now he would serve as their father's unspoken "second in command." Bumi didn't doubt that Tenzin would rise to the challenge either. The young man was a born leader. Bumi regretted that he would miss seeing Tenzin come into his own in that regard.

He reached out to give Tenzin's shoulder an affectionate squeeze. "Well, the manor is yours, cueball. Take care of it. Try to keep the folks in line. Remember what I told you about your girlfriend. Maximum aloofness, dude. Use it. Know it. Own it. Don't be a wuss and let Lin walk all over you."

"I'll keep it in mind," Tenzin replied with a glimmer of a smile.

"Well, come here," Bumi grunted, reaching out to hook the back of Tenzin's head and haul him close, "let me have one more noogie for the road." Before Tenzin could cry out in protest Bumi was already knuckling his skull with maniacal fervor. Tenzin shrugged out of his hold with a yelp of disgust, rubbing at his tender scalp. Bumi grinned at him. "That never gets old. You know you're going to miss that when I'm gone."

"I seriously doubt it," Tenzin grumbled before adding somewhat gruffly, "But I will miss you."

Bumi swallowed down the lump that rose in his throat. "Yeah, me too." He turned a glance around at the somber faces of his family then, once again having to stamp down the urge to cry. "I'd better get onboard now," he said, "Don't want them setting sail without me."

As he hoisted his bag more securely onto his shoulder and turned to go, however, Tenzin surprised Bumi by catching hold of his shirt and flinging his arms around his brother's waist. "Just promise you'll come back home, Bumi," he entreated in a tear roughened tone, "If you say that you'll do it then I know you will because you don't break your promises."

Tears spilling over at last, Bumi hugged Tenzin briefly before shrugging out of his hold to scrub away the emotional evidence. "I promise," he whispered, "I will."

"Good." Tenzin thrust out his hand. "Take care of yourself out there, Bumi."

Bumi pumped his hand in a firm shake, favoring his brother with a wide smile of unconcealed pride and love. "You too, Tenzin," he said fondly, "You too."

**~End~**


	23. Birds, Bees and Baby Seeds

**Birds, Bees and Baby Seeds **

"We have a small problem that requires your immediate attention."

Although Aang was mildly disconcerted by Katara's unceremonious interruption of his council meeting, he rose to greet her with a smile and a kiss nonetheless after she addressed the members present with a demure apology for her disruption. "Hi, sweetie. What brings you by?"

"I need to talk to you," Katara reiterated in an underbreath.

Aang tipped a glance towards the waiting council members. "I'm kind of in the middle of something here," he whispered, "Can it wait until I get home?"

"We _really_ need to discuss this now," she insisted, "It's about Tenzin."

Easily discerning the wild panic darkening her blue eyes, Aang nodded his consent to her request before turning to address the Council. "I'll need a few moments, ladies and gentlemen. If you'll please excuse me…" Careful to mask his anxiety, he calmly placed his hand in the center of Katara's back and led her out into the empty corridor beyond the council room so that they could speak in private. Only when they were alone did he drop his serene façade and reveal his worry.

"Okay, what's happened? What's wrong with Tenzin? Was there an accident at school? Is he hurt?"

"He's not hurt, but I don't know how long that will be true because I'm going to wring his neck!" Katara promised direly.

"So he hasn't been injured or anything?" Aang asked blankly, "He's okay?"

"Oh, he's great. I've got him cooling his heels in your office right now."

Aang frowned, bewildered as much by the situation as he was by Katara's cryptic tone. "Why is he there? Why isn't he in school right now?"

"Remember how I told you that Suki and I were planning to have a girl's day today…that we were going to do some shopping, have some lunch and hang out for the afternoon?"

"Yeah…" Aang answered slowly, failing to pick up on how anything she was telling him could be construed as urgent, "…and this is important why?"

"Because Tenzin took that as an invitation to skip school today," Katara replied crisply.

"What?" Aang guffawed, clearly taken aback by the idea, "Tenzin?" He wasn't necessarily angry, however. On the contrary, he simply had a difficult time imagining his straight arrow, always gung-ho for academics, impossibly studious sixteen year old son ditching school under any circumstances. It was as foreign an idea to Aang as an airbender refusing to fly. "Tenzin cut class today? Wow that's…wow…"

"No, Aang, it is not 'wow,'" Katara retorted, "I haven't told you the reason why he cut school in the first place."

"I'm listening."

"I had to stop back by the island," she explained, "because I realized that I left my money purse at home and I didn't want Suki having to cover all the expenses for me. When I got there, I heard a noise. At first I thought it might be one of the acolytes poking around in the house but…" She threw up her hands, visibly frazzled with the retelling of the events thus far. Aang couldn't imagine how she would be when she reached the crux of her account. As it was, she was a furious, blushing mess. "Let's just say I quickly figured out the sound I heard was _not_ what I thought it was! Not even close!"

"What did you hear?"

Katara had to clear her throat several times before she could answer him and, even then, she couldn't directly meet his eyes. "It was coming from Tenzin's room. I decided to investigate and that's when…that's when I found them."

"Found who?"

"Tenzin and Lin," she emphasized, "Together…_in his bed_," she added when Aang didn't seem to be grasping the import of her revelation, "…_naked_."

"Oh," Aang chirped with dawned understanding, "Oh." And then he grimaced as the mental picture unfolded in his mind. "Oooh."

"Yes, 'oooh' is right," Katara hissed, falling into a frantic pacing, "I…I couldn't believe my eyes! I was beside myself!"

"What did you do?"

"What do you think I did?" Katara cried, "I had a complete meltdown, that's what I did! I screamed at them both to get out of bed and get dressed immediately! I've never been so horrified in my life!"

Aang digested the information with outward calm although inwardly he didn't know whether to laugh or laugh harder. He imagined that the ordeal had been terribly embarrassing for his wife, not to mention his poor son, but Aang couldn't help but see the humor in the situation. However, he was prudent enough to realize that Katara would not welcome that particular reaction from him so he was careful to keep his features inscrutable and stern.

"So is Lin waiting in my office too?" he asked.

Katara shook her head. "I had Suki take her back to school. I didn't know what else to do with her. I'm not ready to face Toph with this." She dragged her hand down her face as if making a bid for fortitude. "Ugh…I dread her reaction."

"It's not that dire, Katara." The instant the words left his lips, Aang knew he'd made a mistake.

"Not that dire?" Katara echoed shrilly, "_Not that dire?_ Aang, I just walked in on our son deflowering the daughter of one of our best friends! Yes, it's _that_ dire!"

"Sweetie, calm down," Aang soothed mildly, "Let's put this in perspective for a minute. First of all, Lin is Tenzin's girl. They've been dating for three years now and, as much as you might not want to acknowledge it, sex comes with the territory. Second of all, I seriously doubt that today was their first time. It was just the first time they've been caught."

"Wow, you're extremely accepting of all this," Katara observed in a tart tone, "I wonder why that is, Aang. Did you know about this, hmm? Did you know that our baby was doing…doing _that_ this whole time?"

"No, I didn't. But he's not a baby any more, Katara. He's sixteen years old."

"He's _my_ baby," Katara maintained stubbornly, "and I think he and Lin are too young to be having…to be doing…what it is they're doing! My goodness, I can't even say the word in reference to him!"

"You took it better when we found out about Bumi," Aang observed.

"Maybe that's because I never had _to walk in on it_," Katara hissed.

"Well yeah, there's that. I know it's a shock."

"You need to talk to him, Aang! Right now! Right this second!"

"And say what? I can't re-virginize him, Katara! It's too late for that! Besides, I've been a teenage boy before. Once you start, there's no stopping after that!"

"Oh, so then this is just a part of becoming a man? Is that what you're telling me?" Katara drawled sarcastically.

Aang shrugged. "Yeah, that's what I'm saying. It's not a pretty reality, but it is what it is."

"I guess the same thing counts for girls too, huh? You would have been totally accepting if it had been…say _Kya_…who'd been caught in bed with a boy?"

"That's different. I don't think females feel those sexual urges as strongly as a man does. Besides, it's a moot point anyway. Kya waited until she was married."

"No, she didn't." Katara watched with a satisfied smile as the color drained from Aang's features. Then, as he was still struggling to process that bombshell, she went in for the kill. "She and Kamik had been sleeping together _for months_ before they got married. Hah!"

A sick expression flittered across his face. "No, they weren't."

"Oh yeah," his wife confirmed with hearty satisfaction, "In fact, Kya was actually pregnant with Miki _before_ the wedding. And here you thought that she was just an early baby." She smiled when Aang collapsed against a nearby wall, reeling from the news. "But that's okay, isn't it, sweetie?" she needled him, her cheeky smile widening, "Because it's only a natural part of growing up? No big deal, right?"

Though it took him a few minutes, Aang succeeded in regaining his composure and shaking off his shock. "You know what? You're right. It's not a big deal. Kya was in love and she did what her heart compelled her to do at the time. Tenzin is doing the same thing. He's doing what his heart compels him to do."

Katara fixed him with a narrowed glare, not incredibly surprised by his reasoning attitude on the matter but still disappointed that she hadn't managed to make him squirm just a little longer. "So what are we supposed to do now?" she huffed, "Just turn a blind eye and pretend that we don't know that they're having sex when they're alone in his room together supposedly 'studying?'" she concluded with air quotes.

"No, I'm not saying that. We're going to have to find an acceptable medium between allowing him the freedom to grow up and setting boundaries for him because he's still _our_ sixteen year old child living in _our_ house."

"Exactly. That's what I'm saying."

"And I'll concede that you had a point earlier."

"I had several points," Katara replied, pursing her lips, "You're going to have to be more specific."

"When you said that I should talk to him," Aang clarified with an eye roll, "You were right. We are going to have to sit him down and talk about what's happened. _Both_ of them," Aang emphasized, "So we should probably bring Toph up to speed about what's going on."

Katara groaned in dismay. "How did I know you were going to say that?"

A few minutes later, Aang rounded the corner for his office to retrieve Tenzin and was surprised to find the boy already seated on the small bench just outside the office door. His face was buried in his hands, his shoulders hunched forward as if he had the weight of the world resting on them. Yet, the moment he detected his father's present, Tenzin bolted upright. As soon as he met Aang's eyes and spied the pity and amusement lurking in their gray depths, Tenzin turned beet red.

"Your mom's waiting for you outside," Aang told him, "but I thought you and I could talk for a few minutes before you went to join her."

"She told you, didn't she?"

Aang sat down beside him. "Did you expect her not to tell me?"

"I don't know what I expected," Tenzin mumbled, "She seemed a little irrational when she dragged me here. I didn't really think she would barge into your meeting and announce it to everyone!"

"Well…er…you definitely shocked her, but she didn't announce it to anyone. She pulled me out into the hall and told me in private."

"That's a relief," Tenzin sighed.

"_But_…" Aang interjected before he could relax too much, "She wants to get with Toph and Lin so we can all discuss the situation that happened this morning together."

"What?" Tenzin cried in panic, "No! Dad, please don't let her do this! Haven't we been humiliated enough? I mean…it's not even like we got to finish or anything!"

Aang appraised him with a surprised glance. "You didn't?"

"No," Tenzin confessed miserably, "We didn't. I tried to tell that to Mom but she was already going crazy! She couldn't hear a word I was saying."

"I'm sure you can sympathize with her…er…discomfiture, right?"

"Yes, I get it," Tenzin mumbled, "It was awkward for her, but imagine how Lin and I felt! We had this brilliant plan for today being our first time together. I figured it would be perfect with you and Mom gone because we'd have the house all to ourselves. Next thing I know, Mom is busting through my bedroom door like she's the Earth Kingdom task force! I thought I was going to have a heart attack right then and there."

His father covertly covered his answering snicker with a cough. "So then what happened?"

"She went nuts…screaming and crying…it was awful…" He shuddered with the memory. "After I got dressed, she dragged me down here so _you_ could deal with me." He tipped an expectant look up at Aang. "So let's hear it. What's my punishment?"

"I'm not going to punish you, Tenzin."

The teen did a doubletake. "You're not?"

"I suppose I could get on you for cutting school, but I already know you're not going to make a habit of that so what's the point?"

"Well…what about the other thing?" Tenzin hedged.

"I'm thinking that the time has probably come for us to have _the talk_."

"Dad, we've already had _the talk_," Tenzin groaned, "I know how babies are made and what I can do so we _don't _make them. I know how to make a girl feel good. I know where to touch her and I know where _not_ to touch. We've gone over this in excruciating detail. I don't need a rehash. Trust me."

"But we're not talking in generalities anymore, Tenzin," Aang sighed, "Obviously, you and Lin are moving into some really serious territory that's far beyond the crush phase."

"Of course it's past that, Dad. I love Lin. And one day, I'm going to marry her."

"And how does she feel about that?"

"She loves me too. We want to be together."

"Great," Aang said, slapping his hand against Tenzin's knee, "Then you can explain that to your mother and Toph tonight."

"You mean you're not going to put a stop to it?" Tenzin groaned.

"And risk your mother's everlasting wrath? Nope. Not a chance."

"Great," Tenzin sighed in a tone that implied that it was anything but "great."

His opinion on that score hadn't dramatically improved by that evening either as he sat in the kitchen. Tenzin watched helplessly as his mother bustled from one corner to the other in her mad dash to get dinner prepared. He observed her fluid darting to and fro with a woeful expression, trying to formulate his chaotic thoughts. Unfortunately, it became readily apparent after a few moments that she had no intention of addressing him no matter how long he stood there. Consequently, Tenzin decided to jumpstart the conversation himself.

"You really don't have to go to all this trouble, Mom," he said a little desperately, "We can call this whole thing off. I'm good with that."

Katara carefully removed her dish of roasted vegetables from the oven and then turned to regard Tenzin with impassive, blue eyes. "So what you're saying is that you're adult enough to have sex, but you're not adult enough to sit down and discuss it?" she queried coolly.

"I wasn't aware that adults sat around discussing sex," Tenzin replied in an uncharacteristic show of sarcasm, "Isn't this supposed to be a private matter between a man and a woman?"

"Exactly," his mother agreed, "But you and Lin aren't a man and a woman. You're a _boy_ and a _girl_. Big difference."

"Males from the Water Tribe are considered men by the age of 14."

"Oh, so suddenly you're interested in keeping those traditions?" Katara challenged, "Sorry. That's not going to fly with me, Tenzin."

"I don't understand why you have to turn this into such a big deal and bring Toph into it."

"And I don't understand why, if you and Lin don't feel like what you're doing is wrong, neither of you have the guts to tell Toph what you're doing," she countered, "Why do you think that is?"

"Because she's Toph and she frightens me, that's why! She's going to dice me up into tiny little pieces!"

"No, she's not," Katara refuted mildly as she turned back towards the stove, "She probably won't take it well, but she's not going to hurt you, Tenzin. She loves you."

"I've seen what Toph does to the people she loves, Mom," Tenzin replied in the driest of tones, "That's not reassuring." He spread his arms wide in a beseeching gesture. "Look, I'm sorry about what happened this morning. I know it must have been awkward for you walking in on us like that."

Katara stiffened. "That's putting it mildly."

"But I wasn't trying to disrespect you. All I wanted was to be with Lin. I love her."

She fell still at the stove then, unable to deny that his heartfelt declaration had moved her on some level. "Tenzin, this isn't about putting you and Lin on the spot," she sighed as she began preparing to transport several steaming dishes of food from the kitchen to their formal dining room. She pressed a pot of tea into Tenzin's unsuspecting hands on one of her sweeping passes and then scooped up several bowls herself, juggling them effortlessly in her arms. She flicked Tenzin with a glance. "I'm not doing this to humiliate you," Katara told him, starting towards the exit, "Tonight is about clearing the air so that we all know where we stand and what's going on."

Left with little choice in the matter and filled with dread over the knowledge that he was losing his argument, Tenzin followed his mother from the kitchen. He dutifully set the teapot where she indicated and then trailed her around the table, absently taking casserole dishes from her hands and placing them on the table without ever breaking the stride of his argument.

"I get that you're worried about me. But I already told you that Lin and I didn't do anything!" he cried plaintively, "Do I have to write it in blood before you believe me?"

Katara straightened abruptly. "I do believe you, Tenzin," she said evenly, "But are you honestly going to stand there and tell me that if I hadn't come home when I did that you and Lin wouldn't have finished what you started?"

"Do we seriously have to talk about this?" he groaned.

"Answer me."

"Yeah. Yeah, we would have finished," he mumbled in confession.

"And that is exactly why we need to have this discussion tonight," Katara insisted softly, "Now go get yourself cleaned up. Your father should be here with Toph and Lin shortly."

Fifteen minutes later, a freshly showered Tenzin shuffled back into the living room just as his father, Toph and Lin came ducking through the front door. Almost the instant Lin entered the house her eyes went on a desperate search for Tenzin. They met each other's disheartened stares in a long, unspoken moment, only to jerk away their gazes with deep blushes when they became aware of Katara's penetrating scrutiny. They gravitated towards each other gradually in a bid for moral support as their mothers embraced each other.

"So what's this about?" Toph demanded without preamble, "Aang wouldn't tell me what was so urgent that I needed to have dinner with you guys tonight."

"There are a few things that we all need to discuss," Katara replied vaguely, "Why don't you have a seat and we'll get started with dinner?"

After everyone was seated around the table, Katara nodded for Aang to begin the meal by passing around the food. As he wordlessly did so, Aang wondered if Toph could feel the stifling tension in the room since she couldn't see the abject misery on their children's faces right then. She confirmed his unspoken suspicions a moment later when she said, "Okay, everybody's hearts are pounding like mad right now. Is someone going to tell me what's going on?"

When no one seemed eager to jump in and answer Toph's surly demand, Aang swallowed roughly and decided to take the first shot. "Katara and I don't know if you're aware of this or not, but we thought you should know that, well…Tenzin and Lin are having sex." He turned to his wife. "Can you please pass the steamed rice?"

For nearly a full fifteen seconds there was literally no further sound at the table, but then Toph shattered the quiet by posing a surprisingly calm question to her sixteen year old daughter. She asked, "Don't you have anything to say for yourself?"

Lin and Tenzin exchanged a darting look. "Well…we…we actually haven't done it yet, but…"

"…But you will?" Toph finished for her rather thoughtfully, "Is that what you're trying to say? Spit it out, Lin!"

The teens traded yet another glance, but this one was filled with unspoken encouragement. "Yes, I will," Lin answered finally, "It's what I want. I love Tenzin. I don't want to be with anyone else."

"Okay. That's all I wanted to know," Toph replied simply, lifting her shoulders in a shrug of dismissal. "Aang, could I have that rice? It smells divine and I'm starving. What spice is that, Katara? Ginger?"

Katara gaped at her. "That's it? Toph, our children are being intimate! That's all the reaction you're going to have?"

"What else can I do short of putting her in a chastity belt, Katara," Toph asked as she loaded her plate with food, "If she's going to have sex then she's going to have sex. Lin has made her choice. If she wants to become the mother to the future race of airbenders, who am I to stop her? Hey, I commend her for taking on such a weighty responsibility. I know _I_ couldn't do it."

Lin choked on her glass of water while Katara exploded, "Toph, what are you talking about? You're her mother! You can't be okay with this!"

"Wait, wait, wait a minute…" Lin interrupted before Toph could respond, "What's all this talk about me becoming a mother to airbenders and all that? Tenzin and I aren't thinking about kids. That's still a long, long way off, Mom."

"But he's going to want them eventually. Lots and lots of them too, I imagine," Toph observed, "Isn't that right, Tenzin?" The boy blushed deeply, sinking down into his chair as low as he could. "Lin, you can't forget that Tenzin and his father are the only two airbenders left in the entire world. Katara won't be popping out anymore kids so I'm afraid this is all on you, cookie. Could someone pass the bread?"

While Lin sputtered in reaction, Tenzin sank even lower into his chair, Aang compulsively stuffed his face and pretended to be invisible and Katara just sat there with her mouth hanging open in shock. Even after being subjected to years of Toph's unapologetic audacity, the earthbender could still leave her friends and family speechless. Only Toph seemed oblivious to the chaos that she had created. She ate her dinner with unrestrained gusto, mumbling out compliments to Katara around each mouthful.

Finally, Lin gave her head a haughty toss, shaking off her mother's words altogether. "You don't know what you're talking about, Mom," she scoffed, "You act like Tenzin wants to turn me into some kid making machine and that couldn't be further from the truth. Isn't that right, Tenzin?"

"Well, I…" he hedged uncomfortably, "I don't know if I want to turn you into a 'kid making machine,' but I definitely would like to have children sometime in the future, Lin…at least four or five. Maybe more depending on the situation."

Lin whipped a stunned look at him. "Four or five or _more_?" she choked, "What are you saying? Are you insane?"

"Insane?" Tenzin parroted with a deepening scowl, "Why would that make me insane? You did know I wanted to have children, right?"

"I'm not having five kids, Tenzin! I don't even know if I want _one_!"

"What are you talking about, Lin? You heard your mom! I'm one of _two_ airbenders in the entire world! Of course we've got to have kids!" he retorted.

"Well that's news to me!" she shot back, "Did I sign some kind of contract that promised my womb to you without realizing it?"

Recognizing that the situation was about to degenerate into something very ugly very quickly, Katara abruptly surged to her feet. "Oh look, we're out of dumplings. Let me go get some more!" She made a desperate grab for the nearly full bowl and dashed from the dining room, certain that Tenzin and Lin needed to have this discussion but equally certain that she didn't want to be present while they did.

Aang jerked an accusing glower at her retreating back, but was of like mind himself. He was out of his chair with a cry of, "Wait, Katara! I'll help you!" as he beat a hasty retreat behind her. Once more Toph, who was being thoroughly entertained, remained behind at the table, content to enjoy her meal…and her handiwork.

"Lin, I'm not saying that we have to start having kids right away," Tenzin murmured soothingly, "We're still young and there's plenty of time for that but… When the time comes, I'd like us to be married and I'd like us to have a family together."

"And then what?" she challenged brusquely, "I become like your mother?"

Tenzin snapped erect. "What's wrong with my mother?"

"Nothing's wrong with your mother except that she's one of the most powerful waterbenders that ever lived, but she put her entire life on hold to stay at home and raise her kids!" Lin retorted, "Her whole world revolved around you guys, which was great for you but I don't know how great it was for her! And then there's my own mother, who bends over backwards to provide for me and give me all the things I need while not having a life of her own. She could be so much more, but instead her life is just…blah…no offense, Mom."

"None taken, Lin," Toph returned smoothly around a mouthful.

"The point is," Lin continued, "I don't want that for myself. I want to be with _you_, Tenzin! But I don't want to sacrifice everything I want and everything I am to be someone's mother!"

"Well what did you think was going to happen, Lin?" Tenzin bit out, "Did you think that I was _never_ going to want to have a family with you?"

"Do you really want to make a family with _me_, Tenzin, or is this just about producing an airbender?" Lin challenged, "Because if it's the latter, any warm hole with a uterus will accomplish that job nicely! You certainly don't need me."

He jerked to attention as if she had just smacked him hard across the face. She had said a number of callous things to him in the course of their growing up together and even more since they'd become a couple, but that particular insult stung the worst. Not because she had insulted him or had made light of his desire to rekindle his race, but because she had questioned the sincerity of his feelings for her at all.

"Yeah," he mumbled, scrapping his chair back from the table, "You're right, Lin. I don't need you." He stood then and dismissed her with a cordial bow. "Enjoy your dinner."

Not surprisingly, Toph and Lin left less than ten minutes later, but by then Tenzin had already locked himself in his room and refused to come out. Eventually, after an hour or so, his mother and father gave up trying to coax him out to talk and had finally retired for the evening. Within the dim confines of his room, Tenzin lay sprawled across his bed, sullen and brooding, with Lin's thoughtless words echoing over and over again in his head. He couldn't reconcile in his heart how he could love her so much and want her so much and yet be on such radically different ends of the spectrum with her when it came to their view of the future.

He had never imagined that she wouldn't want children. He had never imagined that she would view motherhood as a burden and curse. But she didn't and she did and those were inescapable realties. It was an untenable situation for Tenzin to find himself in because, since he had been a boy, he had been imbued with the determination to bring more airbenders into the world. It had always been a foregone conclusion that he would become a father one day. He had never factored in the possibility of having to choose between being with the woman he loved and reestablishing his race and culture. It was a choice Tenzin wasn't sure he could make at all.

Long after that disastrous dinner had concluded, Tenzin lay there for hours, waiting for some solution to come to him, but the longer he lay there contemplating the dark the more confused and desolate he felt. It didn't take long for his restlessness to overwhelm him. Before he had even really made up his mind to do so, Tenzin was slipping from his bed and then from the house completely to retrieve his sky bison. He guided Oogi straight to the Bei Fong residence in Republic City and landed him on the flat rooftop, knowing for certain that Lin would be there because that was the place she always retreated when she felt alone and scared.

As soon as he dismounted, she materialized out of the darkness and flung her arms around his neck, hugging him tight. "I'm sorry," she wept into his neck as he returned her embrace, "I'm sorry for what I said, Tenzin. I didn't mean to hurt you."

He kissed her shoulder, her neck, her lips, tasting the salt of her tears, never wanting to let her go. "It's okay," he whispered, "I hurt you too and I'm sorry for that. It doesn't matter about having children right now. We're sixteen, Lin. All I want is to be with you. I don't know if anything is more important than that."

She leaned back to kiss him again, long and slow and ardent. "I want to be with you too," she murmured, "And you're right. It doesn't matter now. It's still a long way off and who knows how we'll feel about it in ten years. What I do know…" she continued meaningfully, reaching out to take hold of his hand and tug him inexorably towards his bison's fluffy tail, "…is that I want to be with you right now and that won't change. Not ever."

Her green eyes soft and hooded with earnest appeal, Lin slowly dropped down into the furry bed, pulling Tenzin down with her. When he stretched out beside her, Lin wordlessly peeled back the folds of her tunic to reveal her unbound breasts in the glowing moonlight, her eyes never wavering from his face. Tenzin's breath caught on a soundless gasp and that was _before_ swept up his hand and brought it to rest against her bare skin in unspoken invitation.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Tenzin whispered, already dipping his head to nuzzle against her skin, "Are you sure you want _me_?" Lin managed to jerk a nod just as he began kneading her breast, her answering moan muffled as he crushed his mouth to hers.

And with that one kiss, the doubts and the recriminations of the night melted away. The fundamental differences that were already beginning to cause tiny fissures in their relationship were forgotten as Lin and Tenzin focused on the thing that was vitally true between them. They loved each other. They had loved each other from the beginning and they would love each other always.

While the two young lovers may have been filled with doubt about most everything else, particularly their future together, it was only when they finally joined their bodies together for the very first time ever that they felt absolutely sure that none of those other things mattered very much at all.

**~End~**


	24. Homecoming

**Homecoming**

"Be honest," she entreated nervously, "I completely overdressed for this, didn't I?"

Despite the crowded confines of Republic City's bustling waterfront, Bumi took a step back and attempted to appraise his fiancée with a critical eye. Hikari was dressed from head to toe in the standard issue of a proud United Forces soldier. As a second lieutenant, the young firebender took her position of honor quite seriously. Therefore, she tended to dress in her military best, a uniform consisting of a neatly pressed, red overcoat complete with gold trim, creased white trousers in the most pristine condition and high, glossy black boots, even when on leave if she felt the situation called for it.

Her waist length, jet-black locks were pulled back from her flawless face and looped into two equally flawless knots at the base of her skull. She wore no makeup or jewelry of any kind, but truthfully she didn't need the adornment. Her striking honey colored eyes with their thick, lush lashes was all the beauty enhancement Hikari needed.

Looking at her, Bumi couldn't find a single thing to complain about. She was, incomparably, the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on. Then again, Bumi admitted to himself, Hikari could have been wearing a burlap potato sack right then and he'd still find her lovely. Still, he knew it was important to her to have his honest opinion otherwise she would worry herself sick all the way to Air Temple Island. Hikari was a soldier's soldier, but there was no denying that she had a vulnerable heart. She wanted desperately to make a good impression on his parents and she had been second-guessing herself endlessly since learning that she would finally meet them.

"You know what you need?" he decided capriciously after a few moments of observation.

Hikari shrugged her shoulders in expectation. "I'm listening. I don't want to meet your parents looking like a fool."

Without warning, he stepped forward and pulled two large locks of hair from her carefully arranged bun and mussed them crazily atop her head. Hikari yelped in dismay, but she didn't duck from under his hands quickly enough to prevent his actions. "_Now_," Bumi declared with a crooked smile, "Now you're perfect."

Still squeaking in horror, Hikari produced a small mirror from the interior breast pocket of her jacket and surveyed the damage he'd wrought. Her polished coif now hung in a tousled, lopsided mess over half her face. Hikari pushed the waves back from her forehead with a huff of vexation before fixing Bumi with an incredulous glare.

"Why did you do that?" she moaned, "What on earth were you thinking?"

As unpredictable as always, Bumi answered the question by cupping the back of her head and sealing his mouth to hers in a breath-stealing kiss. When he lifted his head to regard her again, his gray eyes were soft with adoration and twinkling with merriment. Hikari stared at him, speechless, dazed and exasperated.

"I was thinking," he whispered, "that you are the most beautiful goddess to walk this earth. And that will be so whether you're dressed in military issue…or a crispy lettuce leaf, and for the record…" he added, wiggling his eyebrows, "I'd prefer the leaf."

Hikari snorted a bubble of laughter despite her intentions to remain annoyed with him. "You're absolutely crazy, you know that?"

"Oh, I absolutely know it," he agreed with a widening smile, "But you already knew that when you agreed to marry me, so ha ha! Too late for you." She rolled her eyes at him, but she wasn't proof against his winning smile and what was worse…Bumi knew it.

Unfortunately, he hadn't always been able to charm her so easily. In fact, when they first met as young cadets starting off together on choppy seas of the North Pole, Bumi and Hikari had been determined to dislike each other. Upon their first meeting, Hikari had shunned Bumi's romantic advances. Henceforth, he had found Hikari to be a stuck-up, prissy, ice-princess and she, conversely, had found him to be an arrogant, illogical blowhard. While Bumi had been popular with their fellow cadets and was deemed "everybody's friend," Hikari remained quiet and methodical and mostly kept to herself. While he was outgoing, she was painfully reserved. While he was boisterous and loud, she was remote and modest. The two of them might have never gotten to know one another beyond those surface personas if Hikari had not almost died saving Bumi's life. After that…they changed each other's worlds.

An unexpected attack on their ship had left the massive fortress of iron to sink. Bumi had done all he could to evacuate as many of his fellow soldiers as he could before their vessel could slip beneath the churning waters entirely. In his determination to save others, however, Bumi had not left much time to save himself. His last cognizant thought before he tumbled into the frigid waters was that he wasn't going to be able to keep his promise to Tenzin after all.

When he opened his eyes again, he was so cold that he couldn't even feel his body, bobbing on a slab of floating ice in the middle of the vast ocean with Hikari wrapped around his shivering frame for warmth. He had been too hypothermic and too disoriented in those first few hours to even speak, but he possessed enough awareness to realize that she was saving his life by providing him with her body heat, wasting her own precious energy to keep him breathing. As he recovered over those next few hours, Bumi learned that Hikari had saved his life by plucking him to safety and then pulling them both up onto a broken wedge of sea ice to escape the melee taking place all around them.

For hours the thick gloom of cannon fire and elemental attacks had thickened the air, concealing the two fallen cadets. Hikari's shouts for aid had been drowned out by the overwhelming cries of fellow soldiers who were also in peril, those who proved to be closer to the rescue efforts than she and Bumi were. After some time, the deafening sounds of battle began to die away entirely and, when the haze cleared, Hikari realized that she and Bumi had drifted out further to sea during the conflict.

At that particular time the future seemed uncertain and grim. With no food and no water and their only means of protection from the frigid water being a sheet of ice, she and Bumi were guaranteed not to last for very long. Yet, in spite of the fact that she didn't expect her fallen comrade to live through the night, Hikari had done all she could to keep Bumi alive regardless.

And she did.

Yet, in a stunning turn of events, the very hour that Bumi began to recover, Hikari herself finally succumbed to the cold and lack of adequate nutrition and fell ill. It was then Bumi's turn to care for her. For two days she raged with fever and violent convulsions. She was incoherent with delirium, sometimes calling out for her parents and brother, sometimes weeping bitterly. Through her incessant and disjointed ramblings Bumi was able to piece together the tragic events of Hikari's life. To his shock and dismay, he learned that his fellow cadet was far from the spoiled, inaccessible princess he had first imagined.

Instead, she was a little girl who had been orphaned by the age of six, the victim of prejudice and hatred because her parents had been Fire Nation citizens living on Earth Kingdom soil. Everyone in her family had been slaughtered in a single uprising and Hikari herself had been left to die. She might have died were it not for the kindness of a stranger who took her in and nursed her back to health, only to turn her away once she was better for fear of retribution. That gesture was one of the few acts of kindness Hikari had ever known in her life. She had spent most of her formative years on her own, fending for herself…relying on no one. Gaining her trust would prove to be a near impossible task, but as Bumi watched her fight for her life by the hour, he absolutely knew that he wanted it more than anything.

By the time they were miraculously rescued on the third day and liberated from the mass of ice that Bumi had been sure would become their deathbed, Bumi's view of Hikari had undergone a radical transformation. Despite being assigned to a new vessel, Bumi had called in favors so that he could remain on the ship where Hikari was recovering. He kept near to her bedside, venturing away only when his superiors or his schedule dictated.

For one week she battled her illness, teetering dangerously on the brink of death, before she finally rallied and revived and rejoined the land of the living. It was a testimony to the sheer strength of her will. By then, Bumi was already half in love with her, enamored by her vitality and courage and perseverance. Hikari, on the other hand, wasn't quite as impressed with Bumi. Though she had saved his life, her opinion of him had remained rather low. It had taken him quite a few months to convince her to trust him, even longer than that to forge a friendship with her, yet longer to deepen it and yet longer still to convince her to love him. It was the hardest won fight that Bumi had ever known and also the sweetest victory he'd ever tasted.

Smiling over the memories, Bumi drew Hikari back into the circle of his arms and rested his chin against her shoulder, pointing out across the harbor to the large statue looming in the center of the water. "That," he explained wryly, "is the image of my father as a thirteen year old boy, shortly after he defeated Firelord Ozai and ended the Hundred Year War. If you want to impress him, _never_ mention it."

Hikari favored him with a quizzical, sideways glance. "He doesn't like being honored for his heroism?"

"Not like that," Bumi said, "My father isn't a very ostentatious man. In fact, he's about as humble as they come."

"Oh really? I guess that trait just skipped right over you, huh?" He pinched her bottom for that bit of impertinence. Hikari emitted a laughing yelp and slapped his hand.

Bumi grinned. "Now be a good girl for me or there'll be more where that came from," he warned playfully.

She leaned over to nuzzle him. "Well then maybe I shouldn't be a good girl."

In an altogether rare reaction, Bumi actually blushed in response to her playful flirting. He coughed several times to clear his throat before returning his attention back to the water. "As I was saying," he resumed doggedly, "if you look just beyond that statue, that swathe of land directly behind it…that is Air Temple Island."

"And that's where we're going?" she concluded with a resigned sigh.

"That's where we're going," he confirmed, "So if you're having second thoughts about doing this thing now is the time to say so, pretty girl."

He held his breath waiting for Hikari to answer. Finally, she shook her head. "No, I want to go," she insisted, "I'm a little nervous and intimidated by the idea of meeting the Avatar, but… I'm definitely excited to meet the rest of your family. If they're even half as lovely as your sister was, then I'm sure I don't have a thing to worry about."

"That's pretty much what I've been telling you this whole time," he mumbled in aside.

Truthfully, however, Bumi couldn't blame Hikari for feeling uncertain. He himself had contributed to that when he chose not to tell her of his parentage until shortly after they had become lovers. While he had spoken of his parents and his childhood many times during their courtship, Bumi had deliberately refrained from mentioning the rather pertinent information that his father was the Avatar. Hikari had been shocked and flustered after learning the truth, unable to process the enormity of what he'd told her right away. But, eventually once she had some time, she _did_ process it…and then the panic set in.

From all the accounts Hikari had heard, the Avatar was a good and benevolent man. However, that did not negate the fact that he was also the most powerful bender in the world…one who had lost his entire race of people due to the Fire Nation. Hikari couldn't help but worry that he might harbor some secret animosity towards firebenders in light of all that had happened to him. And if her worry over his father's acceptance of her wasn't enough, Hikari also obsessed about his wife's reaction to her as well. After all, Katara's own mother had died at the hands of a firebender and now her son was presenting one to her as his future bride. Hikari had suffered intense hatred in her life for far less.

And although Bumi had done all he could to reassure her that she had no cause for anxiety, Hikari had difficulty shaking her fears. Her wariness of the human race in general had been forged in a wealth of bad experiences. She found it extremely difficult to extend her trust to anyone. Bumi knew that the only way to truly lay her doubts to rest was to have her meet his parents in person. Only then would she truly believe that she could be loved and accepted by them.

As they sailed across the bay on the small barge set for the island, from his perch directly across from her Bumi could easily read the dread in Hikari's eyes. He hated seeing it there. He hated the scars that her childhood had left on her heart. She had spent so much of her young life as an object of hatred and revulsion that she had come to expect that same abhorrence wherever she went.

"You know they're going to love you, right?" he told her softly.

"So you keep telling me."

"Hikari, one of my father's best friends is a man who spent months hunting him with the hope of delivering him to the Firelord for extermination," Bumi laughed, "I think you'll be fine."

"I know, I know," she mumbled, "I don't know what's wrong with me. I've never been this preoccupied with impressing anybody before."

"That's because the love you feel for me has you all twisted up inside," Bumi teased her with a self-satisfied smile, "But who can blame you? I mean, look at me. You can't help it. I'm your world." His antics accomplished exactly what he hoped. They made her smile. "See…" he purred with a feline smile, "I knew you loved me."

"Oh, hush up, Bumi."

Ten minutes later they made landfall on the island. The instant Bumi stepped off the boat he was surrounded by dozens and dozens of air acolytes who happily welcomed him home with warm embraces. When he was able to extricate himself Bumi then tugged a self-conscious Hikari forward and introduced her as his fiancée. Yet another round of hugs and kisses began, but this time they were given to Hikari.

A few moments later, Bumi was able to extricate them both from the acolytes loving grip with the promise that they would return later so that they could continue on to the house to meet his parents. However, when they were just outside the door, Hikari hesitated as Bumi reached for the handle. He felt her tense and stopped. She gripped his hand hard and regarded him with panicked eyes.

"I'm scared," she whispered, "What if they don't like me, Bumi? What if they don't think I'm right for you?"

He brushed her lips with a soft kiss. "Then I'll marry you anyway. It's you and me now, Hikari. Always."

Reassured by his loving avowal as well as his kiss, Hikari took several deep breaths and then jerked a nod. "Okay. I'm ready."

The moment built to trembling anticipation. Bumi gripped the door handle and, hand in hand, they ducked inside the house, holding their breath in unison. Their trepidation, however, proved to be all in vain. The common area of the house was completely empty. Frowning in surprise because he was sure the acolytes had said his parents were home, Bumi deposited their bags on the floor. He paused and listened for a minute, detecting the faint sounds of laughter reverberating out from the back portion of the house. They heard a crash and then a muted thud followed by a low chorus of giggles. Bumi and Hikari traded a questioning glance.

"Hello?" he called out carefully, "Anybody here?"

Just then his mother came dashing through the dining room and into the living room, shrieking with laughter, hair unbound, feet bare and covered from head to toe in flour. She skidded to a halt the instant she saw Bumi, her eyes flaring wide with shock. Mere seconds later his father, also coated in flour, came running in behind her with a large burlap sack cradled in his hands. He was so intent on catching his errant wife, exacting his revenge and then kissing her senseless that he didn't realize Katara had stopped in her tracks until he collided with her. Within seconds, a mushroom cloud of wafting rice flour exploded throughout the room, dusting everything in its path with a fine powder, including a stunned Bumi and Hikari.

After several beats of tense silence, Bumi expelled a long-suffering sigh. "Hikari, I'd like you to meet my parents."

"This isn't what it looks like," Aang blurted lamely.

"Oh my goodness, Aang, look…" Katara sighed, her eyes brimming with sentimental tears, "After three long years, our baby is finally home." While Bumi was yet reeling with horrified incredulity, his mother fell upon him in a tearful embrace that was soon joined by his father. When they released him after several minutes of fawning, Katara made a vain attempt to clean some of the flour remnants away from his face while valiantly trying to swallow down her embarrassment. "Bumi, I know you're probably wondering about…well…what you just walked in on with your father and me…you see, we…"

"Mom," he interrupted before she could finish formulating her explanation, "I would ask why Dad was chasing you through the house with a bag of rice flour a moment ago, but I'm not sure I want to know the answer."

"We were just fooling around," Aang explained awkwardly, his cheeks rosy with a hot blush of mortification, "You see your brother decided to spend the day with Lin and so your mom and I thought—,"

"No. No!" Bumi interrupted with as much dignity as he could muster, "I don't want to know, Dad. Please. I don't want to know." He was certain that his humiliation couldn't get any deeper but then he noticed his mother smiling at him rather coyly from behind her mask of flour. It was impossible to ignore how she kept inclining her gaze meaningfully in Hikari's general direction. Bumi staunchly ignored her nonverbal cues to give an introduction which only led to Katara poking him.

"Bumi, don't be rude. Don't you want to introduce us to your friend?" Katara prompted him.

"I can't take you seriously when you look like this, Mom."

In an effort to be helpful, Aang clamped his hands together and created a gusting jet of air which effectively blew away most of the flour though a fine dusting still remained on his skin before doing the same for his wife, son and guest. The aftermath left everyone more than a little windblown, but at least they were only dusky with flour residue rather than coated.

"It's not perfect," Aang said, directing his own smile towards Hikari as well, "but it's better than it was. _Now_ can we know your friend's name?"

Unable to keep himself from smiling despite the ridiculousness of the entire scene, Bumi caught hold of Hikari's hand and tugged her forward to make the introductions. "Mom. Dad. I would like you to meet Hikari…you know, from my letters?" He favored her with a soft smile before he said, "She happens to be the girl I'm going to marry." As his parents murmured their excited delight over that, Bumi continued, "Hikari, this is my father Aang and my mother Katara. As you're already aware they're a little…um…eccentric, but…" He directed an affectionate smile at his parents. "…they're mine."

"That's okay," Hikari laughed, "At least now I know where you get it from."

It was undoubtedly an awkward start, but once Aang and Katara pulled Hikari close for an embrace she knew then and there that she had nothing to fear. Within just a few moments of meeting Aang and Katara, she felt an instant bond with them. Perhaps because she could see so clearly reflected in them the personality traits that had compelled her to fall in love with Bumi in the first place. As she returned their welcoming hug, Hikari had absolutely no doubts that they would accept her as Bumi's wife. She had absolutely no doubts that they would accept her as a daughter. And she had absolutely no doubts that she was home.

Following the introductions, Aang and Katara were very eager to get the details on Bumi and Hikari's courtship, since they had known nothing of the romance through Bumi's letters. While he had made mention several times of Hikari before in his correspondence, specifically mentioning that she had once saved his life, Bumi had never indicated that their relationship consisted of anything other than friendship. Neither Aang nor Katara believed his silence had been born out of shame, however. On the contrary, they could plainly see that Bumi cherished what he shared with Hikari deeply. He had clearly been waiting for the right time to tell them.

Although they both desperately wanted particulars on what had changed in the relationship and when, unfortunately Katara could not ignore the horrendous state that she, her family, her living room and her heretofore unseen kitchen were in. Consequently, she sent Bumi and Hikari off the guest bathroom to clean themselves up while she and Aang worked together to restore both the living room and the kitchen to their formerly pristine conditions before running off to grab a quick shower themselves.

Half an hour later, while his parents were still cleaning up in the bath, Bumi and Hikari reentered the freshly cleaned living room. The couple was brought up short to realize they had an unexpected guest. An unsuspecting Lin Bei Fong lounged on the sofa, disinterestedly thumbing through a book, only to nearly jump out of her seat when she spied them standing there. However, before Bumi could inquire about where she had come from or even why she was there, Lin sprang off the sofa with a wide, joyous grin and came running. She squealed his name and pitched herself into Bumi's open arms with an excited whoop.

"Tenzin never said a word about you coming home!" she enthused, "It's so great to have you back!"

After Bumi set her back down on her feet, he laughed, "Well, Tenzin couldn't say anything because Tenzin didn't know. No one did. It was supposed to be a surprise."

"Mission accomplished," Lin commended. She hopped backwards to survey his crisp, albeit still slightly dusty, military attire. "And wow, don't you look spiffy?" she whistled cheekily, "You clean up nice…" Lin peered at him a bit closer. "…Although it looks like an animal might have died on your face," she remarked impudently, "You got something fuzzy going on with your chin there."

Hikari's snort of laughter was strangled with a single warning glare from Bumi. He pointed a stern finger at Lin. "I'll have you know this beard is all the rage in the Fire Nation and I do believe it makes me look quite dashing."

"You do believe wrong," Lin retorted.

"Please Lin, don't be afraid to speak what's in your heart," Bumi deadpanned.

"You wouldn't want me any other way," she laughed.

He dropped his offended façade in an instant. "You're right. Wow! Just look at you!" Bumi praised, surveying the physical changes in her in near disbelief, "When I left home you were a little girl! What happened? I know I wasn't gone that long!"

Lin plunked her hands on her hips with a mock glare of warning. "Excuse me? I was not a little girl when you left. I was a _young woman_."

"Oh, pardon me for offending your delicate sensibilities, my lady Bei Fong…" Bumi drawled, "I still think this is a pretty dramatic change in such a short period of time."

"Well, a lot can happen in three years! I'm sixteen and a half now. I've become a woman since you left home. What did you expect?" Lin was distracted from his answering quip, however, when her curious gaze wandered over to Hikari, who had been content to hang back quietly while she and Bumi had their reunion. "Who's your friend?"

Smiling, Bumi caught hold of a blushing Hikari's hand and brought her forward. "Lin Bei Fong, this is Hikari. She is both my second lieutenant and my fiancée." While Lin was still gaping in disbelief over that, Bumi continued, "Hikari, this is Lin Bei Fong. She's—,"

"—been a part of this family since before she was even born," Lin finished for him as she reached out to shake Hikari's hand. "Very pleased to meet you, but I gotta ask you…what are you doing with this guy?"

Hikari directed a wry, sideways glance at her preening husband to be. "Believe me, I ask myself the same question daily," she mumbled.

"What she means is that she loves me, can't live without me," Bumi interjected. "Now Hikari, you should know that Lin isn't only a friend of our family," he clarified with a laughing look directed towards the teen, "She also happens to be my baby brother's girl, so you just may be looking at your future sister-in-law."

"Hey, don't you be marrying me off so quickly! Let me set you straight on a few things, Bumi," Lin began, tapping her index finger to the center of his chest for emphasis, "My identity is not defined, nor is it confined to my relationship with Tenzin. I am Lin Bei Fong. I am not property and therefore I belong to no one. Got it?"

"Guess she told you," Hikari giggled.

Bumi rolled his eyes. "Yes, I know, Lin. You are female. Hear you roar," he sighed dryly, "What are you doing here anyway? Where's Tenzin?"

"He's in the kitchen making me snacks," Lin informed him.

Almost on cue, Tenzin entered the living room just then bearing a tray filled with the aforementioned snacks. "I wasn't sure what kind of fruit you wanted, Lin, so I just brought—," He stopped short, explanation forgotten, when he noticed his brother standing there. He regarded Bumi in gaping shock, uttering his name in the same tone.

"I gotta say you disappoint me greatly, junior arrowhead," Bumi sighed in chagrin, "I gave you very simple instructions. 'Do…not…let…her…whip…you.' And what did you do? You let her whip you. And now look at you, bringing her refreshments like you're her servant boy. Did you learn nothing from me?"

The teasing rebuke fell on deaf ears. Tenzin was too busy trying to process the unmitigated joy of seeing his older brother again after a three year absence. "Bumi!" he cried, a beaming smile lighting his face as he set aside the tray to embrace his brother in a running tackle, "You're home! You're finally home!"

"Yeah, I am," Bumi grunted as he pulled back to get a better look at Tenzin, "and you're tall! Really tall!"

Tenzin wasn't just tall. He was _taller_ than Bumi. Not only had he grown, but the boyish softness of his features had sharpened with maturity, lending to Tenzin a rather startling resemblance to their father, a likeness made only more pronounced by his airbender tattoos. It both saddened and disconcerted Bumi to realize that his brother had transitioned into manhood in his absence and that he had managed to miss that milestone altogether.

He surveyed Tenzin with a stunned once-over. "I didn't realize I'd been gone so long. Wow…look at you now. The little boy has become a man."

"_Look at you!_" Tenzin cried, "I can't believe how professional you look in that uniform."

Bumi plucked proudly at his collar. "I do wear it well, don't I?"

"How long can you stay?" Tenzin asked anxiously, "Do Mom and Dad know you're home yet?"

"I'm here for at least a week and yes, Mom and Dad know I'm here. They're getting cleaned up right now."

Tenzin grimaced in confusion. "Why?"

"Don't ask. Just don't ask."

He had barely finished voicing the ironic appeal before Tenzin was yanking him close for another hug. Tenzin then stepped back to regard Bumi with brimming eyes. "It's so good to have you home again."

"It's good to be home."

He and Tenzin were still grinning at one another broadly when Tenzin abruptly caught sight of the pretty female soldier standing just beyond his brother's shoulder in his side vision. Suddenly acutely aware of her presence, Tenzin leaned in close to his brother. "Hey, Bumi? There's a girl standing behind you," he whispered furtively.

"Hey, Tenzin? I know," Bumi whispered back, "That's my friend Hikari. I'm going to marry her."

"What?" Tenzin guffawed. He bounced an incredulous glance between Hikari and his brother. "Seriously? You're getting married?" Bumi answered with a crooked smile and a wordless shrug. Tenzin favored him with a dazed smile. "Wow…that's incredible! That's amazing! Why didn't you say anything about that in your letters?"

"Because it's still relatively new," he explained, "I only asked Hikari to marry me a couple of weeks ago and well… I wanted to tell you guys in person."

Bursting with happiness over the news, Tenzin turned his gaze back to Hikari and bestowed her with a warm smile. "Congratulations," he said, stepping around his brother to pull her into an impulsive embrace, "Welcome to our family…crazy as it is."

"Thank you," Hikari whispered, "I feel honored by the welcome."

Tenzin straightened and glanced over at Bumi. "Have you told Mom and Dad yet? What about Kya?"

"Everyone knows," Bumi told him, "In fact, Hikari and I just came from the South Pole. That was the first place we stopped because I wanted to see our niece and drop off a present for her."

"She's getting big, isn't she?" Tenzin laughed.

"Yeah, I can't believe Kya is already expecting another kid."

"I can't believe she didn't say anything to us about you being on leave," Tenzin countered, "Or engaged for that matter. You don't keep something like that secret."

"I asked Kya not to send word to you," Bumi explained, "because I wanted you guys to meet Hikari first."

"Wow…it's still so unbelievable." Tenzin breathed again, still clearly reeling from the news, "I'll bet Mom and Dad completely freaked out when you told them."

Bumi and Hikari traded an uncomfortable glance before Hikari said in a hedging tone, "I…um…think we caught them a little off guard."

"Oh no," Tenzin groaned, correctly reading the uneasy expressions on their faces, "Please no. They were playing in the flour again, weren't they?"

"So you're saying they do this often?" Bumi asked.

Tenzin hung his head. "You don't know what I've had to deal with since you left home. They're out of control."

"That much is apparent," Bumi agreed.

"So did your mom totally break down with the 'my baby' refrain when you told her?" Lin teased Bumi, "You realize that she pretty much gave up on the idea of you getting married years ago, right?"

"Why is that?" Hikari wondered aloud before Bumi could answer, "Is it because she didn't think he would find the right person?"

"More like because the idea of settling on one girl was a completely foreign concept to him," Lin clarified with an impudent smile, "For a while there, we weren't entirely sure Bumi knew what the word monogamous meant."

Bumi growled at her. "Don't you have a home to go to?"

"Actually, I do," Lin sniffed haughtily, "and I shall take myself off to it." She turned to face Tenzin, who was already beginning to offer up protests over her intention to leave. "You need some time to catch up with your family," she murmured, "I don't want to intrude."

"Will I see you later on?" he asked in a low tone as he walked her to the door.

She grinned at him. "If you come over later tonight, then yeah you will."

She closed her eyes and turned up her face then, waiting expectantly for his kiss. Hyperaware of his brother's laughing scrutiny, however, Tenzin hesitated, feeling a self-conscious blush creep up his neck as Lin opened her eyes. She scowled, picking up on the reason for Tenzin's reluctance to kiss her almost instantly. Huffing in frustration but not at all deterred, Lin caught a fistful of Tenzin's shirtfront and yanked him forward, kissing him until he was breathless.

When she released him his gray eyes were soft and glassy. She favored him with a self-satisfied smile and tapped the tip of his nose with her finger. "Tell your parents I said goodbye and congratulations. Goodbye, Tenzin."

He watched her slip out the door with a besotted smile. "Goodbye, Lin."

Tenzin might have stood there long enough to watch Lin disappear over the horizon if Bumi's appalled drawl hadn't penetrated his hazy senses. "You know…I thought you were whipped before but this is worse than I imagined. Tenzin, where's your backbone?"

He pivoted to face Bumi with an eye roll. "I have plenty of backbone."

"After that display I just witnessed. I beg to differ, little brother. Lin has you by the short hairs, if you get my meaning." Hikari elbowed him in the ribs for that bawdy declaration. Bumi grunted. "Well, it's true."

Tenzin favored him with a humorless scowl. "I'll have you know that I've had more success in my relationship with Lin since I _stopped_ following your advice. So feel free to save your breath, Bumi."

"Can I help it if you weren't doing it right?" Bumi retorted.

"And what advice was that exactly?" Hikari wanted to know.

"Nothing that matters anymore, sweetheart," Bumi interrupted smoothly before Tenzin could open his mouth to answer. "The important thing to keep in mind here is that my little brother still has an awful lot to learn about women."

"Oh really?" Hikari challenged, "He brought his girlfriend refreshments and kissed her goodbye. I think he's doing just fine, not to mention that he seems very sweet. You could learn a thing or two about that yourself."

"Thank you, Hikari," Tenzin declared grandly.

"You're welcome, Tenzin," she replied with equal grandeur.

Bumi turned his nose up at them with a disgusted grunt. "Lily livers. The whole lot of you."

Just then his parents emerged from the back, squeaky clean and grinning from ear to ear. "Tenzin, did you hear?" Katara chirped excitedly as she joined her sons, "Your brother's getting married!"

"Yeah, Mom. I heard."

Fairly bouncing with excitement, Katara looped her arm through Hikari's and gave the young woman a familial squeeze. "You know, I always did want to have another daughter."

"What about Lin?" Tenzin reminded her, "She's like a daughter to you."

"No, Tenzin," Katara corrected mildly, "Lin is like a _son_ to me."

While Tenzin balked over that and Bumi and Aang covered their snickers of laughter behind loud coughing fits, Katara beamed up at Hikari. "I think you and I are going to become really good friends."

Hikari smiled. "Me too."

"Good," Katara said, already leading her from the room so that they could talk in private, "Now, I want to hear all about what my son did to convince you to marry him. I love that boy to pieces but he's never been big on finesse when it comes to women…"

Later that evening, Bumi slipped into the guest bedroom he was sharing with Hikari after spending the evening with his brother and father to find his fiancée getting prepared for bed at the side-table vanity. Smiling, he crossed the distance between them to drop a kiss to the top of her head before plucking her hairbrush from her fingers and wordlessly assuming the task of grooming her long, silky locks. Hikari smirked at him through the mirror.

"I wonder what Tenzin would say if he knew you brushed my hair every night."

Bumi did not miss a beat. "If you ever breathe a word, I will deny, deny, deny."

Hikari laughed softly. "Your family is very lovely, Bumi."

He leaned in close to whisper against her ear, "They're _your_ family now too. I told you that once you said 'yes' that you were stuck with me, woman."

She reached up to cradle his face to hers with a contented sigh. "I can't think of anything better."

After exchanging a sweet kiss, Bumi resumed brushing her hair. "So…" he began in a deceptively neutral tone, "…how did it go with my mother?"

"Your mother is incredible and unbelievably sweet," Hikari told him, "She made me feel very welcome. She told me all kinds of stories about your boyhood antics and she even pointed out to me every, single gray hair you've ever given her."

"Oh, brother…" Bumi groaned, setting aside the brush. "I suppose that she didn't feel that she'd humiliated me enough for one day, huh?"

"Actually, it was cute. She loves you so much, Bumi," she recounted softly, "She mostly sang your praises the whole time we were together. And you know what else?"

"What else?"

"She actually thanked me for being able to look beyond that arrogant façade of yours and to see the man you truly are. She told me that I was the first woman to ever look deeper and that's how she knows that I'm the right one for you." Hikari twisted around to face him, her expression filled with profound humility. "She actually told me that she would feel honored to have me as a daughter-in-law." The quiet incredulity in her tone was just as evident now as it was when Katara had first spoken the words to her.

Bumi crouched down beside Hikari, tenderly brushing aside her hair with his fingertips. "And what did you tell her?"

"I told her I was a firebender," Hikari blurted.

Though he didn't want to laugh at her, the snorting chuckle escaped him anyway. "And how did she react to that?"

"Well…" Hikari began thoughtfully, "…after she finished staring at me like I'd just sprouted a second head, she reached over, patted my hand and said 'that's nice, dear.'"

"Sooo, in other words, she didn't react at all," Bumi concluded knowingly.

Hikari bowed her head. "No. No, she didn't."

"And?" Bumi prodded with a widening smile.

She regarded him with an expression of deliberate ignorance. "And what?"

"Come on," he cajoled sweetly, "Cough it up. Say the words. Here, I'll even help you get started because I'm a kind and benevolent soul. 'Bumi, you were ri—,'"

"Fine! Fine. You were right," Hikari interrupted somewhat huffily, "I never had a thing to worry about and your family is every bit as wonderful as you said they were. I should have never doubted you, oh great and wise one. There! Are you happy?"

"Not quite."

Still laughing at her peevish tone, Bumi loosely gripped a lock of her dark hair in each hand and tugged her closer, settling his mouth over her pouting one for a languid kiss. It didn't take much coaxing on his part to convince her to kiss him back. Hikari wrapped her arms around his neck and returned his kiss with every ounce of love pulsing in her heart. When Bumi broke contact a few seconds later the mild annoyance in her eyes had softened into smoldering desire. He smiled at her.

"_Now_…" he whispered, leaning in for yet another taste of her, "…now, I'm happy."

**~End~**


	25. Premonitions

**Premonitions**

"Katara, are you crying?"

It was easy to see why Aang would assume that she was. Katara sat all alone in Tenzin's bedroom, curled up in the center of his bed and surrounded by keepsakes and mementos that spanned all twenty-three years of their youngest son's life. The scene was rather depressing. Tears, then, would be completely understandable. Yet even with that reasonable consideration, Katara still ducked her head in an effort to conceal the fact she was weeping at all. Aang heaved a despondent sigh, not at all fooled by her furtive attempt.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" he pressed gently.

"Nothing's wrong. I'm not crying," she mumbled, deliberately avoiding his eyes, "I'm sitting here trying to figure out how Tenzin managed to accumulate so much junk over the years. I thought monks were supposed to be opposed to material attachment. Did you skip that lesson with him?"

Unfortunately, her bravado was weak and the quiver in her voice was more than evident. Moved with empathy for her, Aang closed the distance between them and climbed up onto the bed, sifting through the piles and piles of Tenzin's scattered belongings to scoot next to her. The instant he drew her into his arms, Katara dissolved into harsh tears. Aang cradled her against him, stroked her back and brushed soothing kisses through the waves of her loosened hair, murmuring his words of comfort while he waited for her sobs to subside.

When they finally died down into intermittent hiccups, Aang lovingly cupped her cheek and turned her face up for his lingering kiss. Katara gripped his shirtfront tightly as she returned his kiss, as if needing to physically affirm that he was still there with her. A few moments later, when he lifted his head again, he found himself falling into the glistening canvas of her bright, blue eyes as he inevitably did whenever he looked at her. At 55 years of age, Katara was a far cry from the girl who had liberated him from that iceberg so long ago. Comparatively too, at 53, Aang had also changed very much from the boy she had found.

They now had a few more gray hairs accompanied by a few more wrinkles and a few more aches and pains, but also a lot more wisdom. They shared several grandchildren and yet one another waiting to be born. They had seen two of their three children married and starting families of their own and the third seemingly headed down that same road. And now they were dealing with the reality of their youngest child, their _last_ child, leaving home to begin his final transition into adulthood.

The sun was beginning its slow descent on their generation and preparing to rise with the new, however the love between Aang and Katara was as young and fresh as it had been from its beginning. It was a bond that was enduring and timeless and so powerful that it would very likely continue renewing itself even long after the two of them had ceased to physically walk the earth. It was stronger than all the cosmic energy in the universe and it always would be. And _that_ was exactly what Aang saw when he looked into Katara's eyes…he saw their entire love story reflected in those sparkling depths.

He smiled at her, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he asked, "Feel better now?"

Katara shrugged out of his arms to dab self-consciously at the corners of her eyes with the hem of her shirt. "You must think I'm being incredibly silly."

"Nope. Not at all. Our baby just left home. I expected you to take it hard."

"And what about you?" Katara pressed wryly, "You're not locked away somewhere weeping hysterically."

Aang gathered her back against him with a rumbling laugh. "That's because I'm focusing on the positives, sweetie."

She angled an arch look at him over her shoulder. "And what positives would those be?"

"I get to have you all to myself," he growled into her neck playfully.

Katara grunted in an effort to mask her answering giggle. "You really are a lecherous old man, Aang."

He reared back with a small, wounded whimper. "That really hurts me, Katara." He pouted. "I am _not_ old."

"But you _are_ lecherous," she teased.

"Guilty as charged."

Katara settled back into the circle of his arms with a contented sigh. "I love how you do that."

"Do what?"

"Make me laugh when I don't want to." She swept up his hand and brought it to her lips. "I love you, Aang."

"I love you," he whispered against her ear.

"And I know that I'm being ridiculous right now," Katara reasoned aloud, "Tenzin is coming back home. After all, we're only talking about a six month pilgrimage to visit the Air Temples, but…a lot can change in six months, Aang. He _did_ take Lin with him when he left."

"What? Do you think they're going to come back home married and with an armful of babies?" Aang laughed, "Not a chance, Katara. Neither of them is in that headspace right now."

"You never know…" Katara considered, "Take Bumi, for example. We never thought he'd settle on _one_ woman let alone fall in love and get married. But, by the time he was done with his first tour with the United Forces, he had already met Hikari and asked her to marry him."

"And now they're expecting their second child together," Aang sighed in disbelief, "That seems like a lifetime ago."

"Not to mention Kya and Kamik and their new set of twins." Katara expelled a wistful sigh. "Can you believe Miki is almost twelve years old?"

"How can that be when I still _feel_ twelve?" Aang asked, "When did we become so old, Katara?"

She tipped a laughing glance up at him. "A minute ago you said you weren't old," she reminded him.

"Well, talking about all these grandchildren has changed my perspective a little," he replied grumpily, "Let's talk about something else."

"Like what?" Katara wondered sullenly.

"Like dinner. It's getting late and I'm hungry."

Katara twisted around to pin him with narrowed blue eyes. "Is that your not so subtle way of asking me to make you dinner, Aang? Because, as far as I can tell, you have two perfectly good hands that aren't broken."

"No, oh surly one," Aang murmured in a rumbling chuckle against her ear after she presented him with her back, "I was thinking that _I_ could make _you_ dinner."

She glanced at him again, but this time her look was one of sheepish remorse. "Oh."

"So what do you want?" he asked her, "I'm taking requests."

"Aang, you can't cook," Katara informed him in the gentlest of tones.

He drew himself upright with an insulted scowl. "I beg your pardon! Weren't you the same woman who just told me not one minute ago that I have 'two perfectly good hands that aren't broken?'" he finished in mocking falsetto, "Now you're saying I can't cook? What's up with that?"

"I'm only stating the facts."

"Well, I never!" Aang huffed.

"That's exactly my point," she joked.

When his response to that was a humorless laugh, Katara scooted around to face him and rested on her knees between his legs, reaching out to frame his face between her hands. "Aww, did I hurt your feelings?" she teased him.

He made quite a production of pouting. It was easy enough to discern the amusement lurking in the dark, gray depths of his eyes, but Aang played hard to get nonetheless. When Katara attempted to kiss him, he stubbornly turned his face aside so that her lips only grazed the corner of his mouth. Choking back her own laughter and refusing to be deterred, Katara nibbled sweetly against that spot before he finally gave in, wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back. Before either of them realized it, Katara was straddling Aang's lap and their lighthearted teasing had escalated into ardent kissing.

She broke away from Aang with a breathless smile when his hands went on a meandering trek beneath her shirt. "We're making out in our son's bed," she remarked in a husky tone, "This can't be good."

"So we'll go make out in our own," Aang suggested, already grasping hold of her hand to tug her off in that very direction.

"Not so fast, airbender," Katara laughed, "You can't just tease a girl with dinner and then drop the subject entirely because your libido is calling."

Aang regarded her with an exasperated groan, although the naughtiness gleaming in his wanton stare was apparent. "Katara, have a heart," he pouted, "I'm not a young man anymore. Unfortunately, I've reached an age that, when the libido calls, I need to answer it because I can't always be too sure when it's going to call again."

It was the dejected look of entreaty on his face while he made that statement that caused Katara to dissolve into a fit of giggles. He was full of it and they both knew it. Aang's libido was perfectly healthy and "called" quite often. His sheer gall only heightened Katara's mirthful chortles. She had to clamp her hand over her mouth in an effort to stifle her laughter over his shameless attempt to guilt her into sex.

"Your amusement at my expense hurts deeply. But you're right, I suppose," Aang conceded with a growing smile, compelled by her infectious humor, "A promise is a promise." He rolled from the bed and pulled her with him. "Let's get to it then."

As Katara curled up onto the sofa and listened to the discordant sounds coming from her kitchen while her husband banged around her pots and pans, she began to wonder if Aang's dinner idea was a bit too ambitious. It had been quite a few years since he'd handled anything particularly complicated in the kitchen, especially on his own. Usually Katara was present to supervise and ensure that he didn't burn down the place. Given that fact, it was difficult not to fidget nervously at the thought of him having free reign of her kitchen, especially with all the clanging and thumping around going on in there.

"Aang?" she called out anxiously, "Everything okay in there, sweetie?"

"I'm good," he called back, "Did you rearrange in here by any chance?"

The question did not comfort her. Katara hopped up from the sofa. "I'm coming to help you, Aang."

However, she hadn't taken two steps towards the kitchen before he popped his head out. "Don't take another step," he warned her, "The kitchen is off limits to you until further notice. Now run along. Go read a book or something."

"Aang, if you destroy my kitchen…" Katara sighed in hanging threat.

He grinned at her broadly. "Sweetie, this is me. I've got this."

Somehow Katara didn't find his reassurance at all reassuring. Still skeptical, but not wanting to stifle his excitement either, Katara reluctantly resumed her perch on the sofa and waited. He was still being ridiculously loud, but she was comforted by the fact that there were no tendrils of smoke unfurling from behind her. Eventually, Katara was able to relax enough to let herself get engrossed in a book. Yet, no sooner had she gotten into the plot than the lemony aroma of baked foodstuffs began wafting through the living room, effectively distracting her from her tale. Setting aside her book entirely, Katara gave the air a suspicious sniff.

"Aang, it doesn't smell like you're making dinner at all," she called out to him, "It smells a lot like dessert."

"And who says that you can't have dessert for dinner?" he countered cheekily, emerging from the back with a freshly baked fruit pie in his mitted hands. He presented the baked dish to Katara with all the flourish of a palace servant. "For you, Master Katara…raspberry-lemon fruit pie kissed with a hint of cream."

She fixed him with an adoring smile. "You baked me a pie?"

"I baked you a pie."

Katara dissolved into sentimental tears. "You baked me a pie!"

"Yeah, I did," he confirmed again somewhat wryly, "but I wouldn't recommend crying into it because that would really ruin the flavor." Katara emitted a teary giggle. "So are you going to eat it?" Aang asked, "Or do you need a minute to pull yourself together?"

"It's just that I know you used to make fruit pies with Gyatso when you were young," Katara sniffled, "That was your special thing with him, Aang."

"I know," he whispered, "And that's exactly why I wanted to share it with you."

Katara brushed at the fresh tears falling on her cheeks. "Did you, at least, bring two forks?"

Aang produced two gleaming utensils from the sleeve of his robe. "Surely you know me better than that, Katara."

They curled up together on the sofa, forsaking convention entirely to eat the gooey treat straight from the baking pan. At first bite, Katara was moaning in delight. "Mmm…" she hummed, "…this is sooo delicious."

He chuckled at her near orgasmic expression as the licked the fork clean. "Bet you're regretting all those times you kicked me out of the kitchen now, aren't you?" he teased, "All those wasted years when you threatened me with a wooden spoon…"

"I was wrong," she admitted around another mouthful, "So very wrong…"

"Does that mean you're amending what you said earlier about me not knowing how to cook?" he pressed.

Katara nodded gamely. "I bow to your excellence," she replied.

"Apology accepted," he murmured.

Smiling wistfully, Aang realized, as he watched Katara wolf down the pie, that he took infinitely more satisfaction in the fact that he had pleased her than he did in having made a flawless dessert. Somehow procuring praise for himself didn't even enter into Aang's thoughts. He didn't even want to taste his handiwork. That wasn't the important part at all. What _was_ important was that his wife was genuinely smiling and that her eyes were alive with merriment right then…and that was all Aang had wanted to accomplish for the evening.

Gradually though, Katara became aware of his quiet scrutiny and froze mid-bite, her cheeks suffusing with self-conscious color. She swallowed her mouthful before chancing a sheepish glance in his direction. "Sorry. I wasn't trying to hog it. It's just so good."

"You're fine. Have a ball." Katara licked a bit of fruit filling from the corner of her mouth and that one, unconscious gesture distracted Aang in about a thousand different ways. Perhaps making Katara smile wasn't the _only_ thing he'd hoped to accomplish that evening, he amended mentally. Finishing what they'd started earlier in Tenzin's room wouldn't disappoint him in the least.

Oblivious to the carnal direction his thoughts had taken, Katara asked, "Aren't you going to have any?"

Aang shook his head, setting aside his fork. "No. I think I'd rather sit here and watch you enjoy it."

Katara shoved the pan away in resolute refusal. "Aang, I can't eat a whole pie by myself," she protested, "It's too selfish. You worked hard on this dessert. You should enjoy it too."

"What do you mean it's selfish?" he argued softly, "Katara, it's just dessert and I made it for you. I'm not going to judge you because you want to have something for yourself. After all the years you've spent putting other people's needs above your own, you deserve to have a little something that's only for Katara…even if it's only something as trivial as a fruit pie. So eat it and enjoy it."

"Well, maybe I'll take a couple more bites," she acquiesced. However, well into bite number three Katara could no longer ignore the way Aang watched her. His expression was a mixture of amusement and an odd sort of intensity. A secret smile tugged faintly at the corners of his mouth. Katara felt strangely exposed beneath his stare. She set down her fork. "So are you really going to sit there and stare at me the whole time?" she wondered sardonically, "You're making me nervous."

"I can't help myself. You're too beautiful not to stare, Katara."

She uttered his name in an embarrassed mumble, burying her face in the collar of his robe. "You know I hate it when you say things like that."

He regarded her with a coy expression. "Remind me again why?"

Katara rolled her eyes at his blatant fishing attempt. "You're insufferable."

"Come on…tell me," he cajoled.

"Because it makes me love you even more," she conceded in grumbling compliance.

He tipped a smiling glance down at her. "Hmm…by now you must love me to an outrageous degree, huh?"

She grunted out a laugh at his teasing but when Katara lifted her head to regard him with those luminous blue eyes of hers, her heart was plainly visible in their depths. "Beyond outrageous," she whispered, placing her hand against his bearded cheek, "Sometimes I love you so much, Aang that everything inside me hurts."

Aang's good humor was replaced with tender solemnity. "That doesn't sound too pleasant."

"It is and it isn't," she admitted, leaning in closer so that her lips were a mere fraction from his, "But you know what? It's _real_. What I feel for you is the realest thing I've ever known, Aang."

"For me too, Katara."

That first kiss, soft and slow, soon led to yet more kisses, those considerably deeper. Aang and Katara nuzzled each other sweetly, the fruit pie forgotten altogether as they turned into each other's arms and scooted closer, kissing all the while. In between sampling her mouth and throat with his lips, Aang loosened Katara's hair, deftly unpinning the neat bundle of coiled waves so that they flowed freely over her shoulders and back.

They rolled and shifted, their hands gliding lightly over one another in practiced familiarity, bodies aligning as their caresses became more intimate. Bits of clothing fell away…his robe, her tunic, his shirt, her bindings…shoes were kicked aside and tossed forgotten to the floor. They eagerly peeled away layer after layer, until they were at last skin to skin, tasting and touching one another in the most intimate places.

Aang knelt between Katara's parted thighs, skimming the slope of her bare breast with his fingertips, watching with unconcealed fascination as her nipple contracted into a sensitized bead beneath his touch. He smiled at her. "Do you know how beautiful you are?" he whispered in a reverential tone.

She stretched out her hand to caress his hip, sliding lower to sweep the straining tip of his erection before pushing herself upright to press a tiny row of breathy kisses along his breastbone. "Do you know how beautiful _you_ are?"

He groaned her name and tunneled his fingers through her hair, twisting them there as Katara nipped a moist path up his throat. Aang darted his tongue along the rim of her ear, blew delicate kisses against her earlobe, his hands racing urgently over the bare skin of her back and buttocks. His erection throbbed between them, warm and pulsing as he rotated his hips against her. Katara smoothed her hands down the lean slope of his back, urging him closer, wanting more. She whispered his name.

Detecting the slight smile in her tone, Aang swept a light kiss across her eyelid and raised his head to regard her with a faint smile of his own. "Hmm?"

"Do you remember what you told me earlier about your libido?" she teased softly.

He had to bite back a laugh. "Yeah. Why?"

"Well, I believe it's calling again…" She reached between their bodies to curl her slender fingers around his stiffened flesh, stroking him in a bold caress. Aang moaned in delight, rolling his hips in response to her touch and incurring Katara's self-satisfied smile. "Don't you think it's time we answered it?"

Aang angled her back into the cushions and shifted between her legs with a rumbling laugh. "Never let it be said that you're not full of good ideas."

A little while later Aang collapsed atop of Katara with a low, ragged groan, grinding against her as he rode out the last stirring currents of their mutual orgasm. Somehow during their frantic need to join themselves together they had displaced several cushions and had become hopelessly twisted in his robes. Their skin was warm and damp in the aftermath of their vigorous lovemaking, their extremities heavy, their breaths coming in exhausted pants. Still tingling with sensation, Katara let her jellied limbs fall from around Aang's waist, allowing him to ease from her body and collapse beside her with a gratified grunt. Replete and fatigued and smiling with lazy satisfaction, Katara immediately snuggled against him, resting her cheek against his chest.

"Hmm…" she purred into his skin, "That was nice. I like answering your libido."

"Yeah, me too…" Aang whispered in wry agreement, already starting to feel the first stirrings of drowsiness.

Katara, on the other hand, was inexplicably wide awake. Suddenly, she felt overwhelmed with the need to touch Aang everywhere…his shoulder, his chest, the thin, meandering trail of dark hair that led a pathway towards coarser curls and his softened genitals. Everything about him was still fascinating and beautiful to her. Even at fifty-three years old, Aang was still lean and fit, a product of the daily sparring practice in which they still engaged. Katara traced idle circles around the indentation of his belly button while she listened to the steady thumping of his heart.

"Hey, Aang? Are you asleep?"

"Yes," came his drowsy mumble.

Smiling and undeterred by the answer, Katara whispered, "I was just thinking…"

Without ever opening his eyes, Aang grumbled, "…that you're thoroughly exhausted and you could use a nap? How coincidental. Me too."

She pressed a laughing kiss to his nipple. "No. Not exactly."

He tipped a lethargic glance down at her, eyes half mast. "Well, if you're thinking about going another round, I don't know if I have it in me, Katara," he murmured gruffly, "I'm worn out. Give me an hour or two to recover."

Her answering giggle was muffled against his side. "Actually, I wasn't thinking _that_ either," she clarified a moment later, "But I'll keep your recovery time in mind."

Aang was silent for so long after that Katara thought that he might have fallen asleep, but he surprised her when he asked, "So then…what were you thinking about?"

"I was just lying here thinking…wishing really…that we'd had more babies." Sensing that she had more to say than that, Aang remained still and silent in the wake of that quiet statement. He could feel Katara go curiously still beside him as well before she asked in an almost timid tone, "Do you ever think about it…you know…the baby we lost?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I think about it."

"I thought after all these years that it would hurt less," she whispered, "But sometimes I still ask myself 'what if.' I still wonder if it was something I did or didn't do…"

"It wasn't your fault, Katara," Aang told her, "It just happened."

"I should have let you go find a healer like you wanted to that night," she said, "I should have done a lot of things differently. And if I could go back…"

Aang shifted onto his side then so that they were lying face to face. "There's no point in reliving this, Katara. You suffered a tragedy and you got through it the only way you knew how," he whispered, "I don't blame you. I've never blamed you."

"_I_ blame me."

"Why?"

"Maybe if I had seen a healer that night…maybe if I hadn't pushed myself…" She bit her lip, making a conscious effort to reel in her emotions before continuing. Finally, after regaining her composure, she confessed softly, "I regret that I wasn't able to give you more children."

"You shouldn't." She stared at him in speechless surprise. "Katara, we have three beautiful children. Six, if you count Kamik, Hikari and Lin because they're practically ours anyway. That's an incredible gift. I don't take it lightly. And if three children were all you could give me, then it was enough."

"But don't you ever wish—,"

"—No, I don't," he whispered before she could even complete the question, "All I've ever wished for was you and I have you, so I'm good."

"You always say that," she said.

"And it's always true," he replied.

Although her eyes were still clouded with some swirling doubt, because she _wanted_ to believe him, Katara nodded in acceptance and snuggled back against him. "You know what we should do, Aang?" she asked him just as his breathing was beginning to become slow and even with the respite of slumber.

"Go to sleep?" he ventured hopefully.

She laughed. "We should take a trip around the world. We can retrace the route that we took when we were kids only this time we can take our time and really explore all the different towns and provinces. Wouldn't that be great?"

Momentarily forgetting that he was hopelessly tired, Aang asked, "Are you serious?"

"Why not?" she considered, "The kids are gone. It's just us. We don't have any outstanding issues requiring us to be here at this time. We should go."

"You know, the last time we had one of these little adventures you got kidnapped by a river spirit," Aang recalled.

"Don't remind me," Katara muttered dryly, "Besides, that was years ago. I'm sure this time will go much smoother."

Aang mulled over the suggestion for a bit. "Actually that's not a bad idea. We could go to the South Pole and spend a few weeks with Kya and the kids and after that we could spend some time at the Southern Air Temple and see how the school is coming along. We might even run into Tenzin while we're there."

"And then we could go to the Fire Nation and spend some time with Bumi's family," Katara added excitedly, "We could drop in on Zuko and Mai while we're there, maybe have a double date or something."

The ironic implications of their plans hit Aang about a second later. "So basically we're going on vacation because our kids aren't here, but we're going to use the vacation to see those exact same kids?"

"Yes."

"Okay, I only wanted to be clear." Aang yawned broadly then. "So can I go to sleep now or do you have any more pertinent business you'd like to discuss _before_ I close my eyes?"

"Oh, go to sleep already," she groused good-naturedly.

Aang settled himself against her body with a contented sigh. "Goodnight, Katara."

"Goodnight, Aang."

He was asleep and dreaming almost the instant he closed his eyes. Yet the events taking place in his subconscious felt so real to Aang that he didn't completely realize he was dreaming at all. He walked along the vast expanse of the South Pole all alone. There was nothing for miles but snow and ice. But although he was dressed in little more than his regular traveling clothes, Aang felt impervious to the cold. He felt strangely youthful and vibrant, filled with boundless energy and without the vague aches and pains that he had grown accustomed to over the last few years. Not too far from where he stood, a flock of penguins squawked and gathered, silently beckoning him over for a ride. However, he had taken only one step towards them when the sound of her weeping stopped him in his tracks.

Aang knew it was Katara even before he turned around and discovered her kneeling in the snow, sobbing like he had never seen her sob. But she wasn't the Katara he remembered or expected. Though Aang would recognize her even if he were blind, there was no denying that she was different. She was clearly older, her dark hair having faded to a complete gray now. She appeared broken and defeated.

Understandably, Aang was shocked by her appearance, but ultimately it was the sound of her harsh sobbing which shook him from his stupor and sent him skidding to her side. He tried to comfort her, tried to reassure her, but she seemed unable to hear him or see him. And, Aang realized with dawning horror, he was unable to touch her. It was as if there were an invisible wall between them and no matter how loud he screamed or how much energy he expended trying to get Katara to see him, Aang could not penetrate it.

Frustrated and dismayed, Aang became increasingly more frantic with his inability to connect with her, but even as he was in the midst of shouting her name, the scenery around him began to shift suddenly and Katara began to fade away. Flashes of light burst all around him in a dizzying blur as the faces of his family and friends blended in and out of an inky black canvas. Their countenances were dark with grief and sorrow. Aang could hear them calling for him. Begging for him. He could hear their sobs echoing in his ears, but he couldn't comfort them, couldn't reach them.

He clamped his hands over his ears, screaming for it all to stop. And miraculously it did. As if carried by thought alone, Aang instantly found himself transported into a small one room hut. The house was adorned simply with only a small fire flickering in the hearth. In the far corner of the house, the unmistakable sounds of a woman in the throes of impending childbirth bounced off the walls. His presence invisible, Aang drifted closer to witness the scene. He didn't recognize the laboring woman at all and yet something there felt infinitely familiar. It was only when the woman finally pushed her infant daughter into the world that Aang understood why. He knew the child's identity in an instant and what her birth signified…the grim reality that the Avatar…that _he_ was dead.

Aang bolted upright with a startled gasp, unintentionally jostling Katara awake in his frightened alarm. In that first disoriented instant, he still felt as if he were trapped in his dream so he half expected Katara to disappear at first. But then she spoke, scrambling upright beside him to rest her hand against his thundering heart.

"What is it, Aang?" she whispered anxiously, "Did you have a nightmare?"

"I don't know…I don't know…" he mumbled, still struggling to process whether what he had just experienced had been an awful dream…or a premonition of things to come.

Katara felt the palsied shivering in his muscles beneath her hand and frowned in dismay. "Aang, you're trembling. Tell me what's wrong. What happened?"

He looked at her then and, seeing the gathering dread in her gaze, forced a wooden smile. "Nothing," he lied. "I suppose I was having a dream and I just woke up in a panic. I'm sorry I scared you."

"Do you remember what it was about?"

Aang dropped his eyes as he shook his head in answer to that. "No. I don't. It was probably some silly dream about falling out of the sky. That's an airbender's worst nightmare, you know."

His lame attempt at humor fell flat with her. "Are you sure about that?" Katara asked, skepticism stamped all over her face, "You seem pretty shaken up right now. Your face is pale."

"I'm sure," he said, pressing a soft kiss to her mouth, "I'm fine now, Katara. Really. Go back to sleep."

Yet, as she settled back down against his chest and waited for his galloping heart rate to return to normal, Katara did not fall back asleep at all.

And neither did Aang.

**~End~**


	26. The Culmination of Us

**The Culmination of Us**

Aang sat perched on the edge of the bed and observed Katara from his peripheral vision as she emptied her belongings from the armoire situated on the other side of the room, a wry smile playing at the corners of his mouth. He had imagined that when the time came for them to leave the Fire Nation, Katara would exhibit mixed feelings since leaving also meant saying goodbye to their eldest son and his family, as well as their friends. Yet, now that the time had arrived for them to return home to Republic City, Aang was surprised to see that Katara seemed strangely eager, even excited to get back there.

Just to test his theory, however, Aang patted the neatly arranged sheets beneath him and drawled, "I'll bet you're going to miss sleeping in this big bed, aren't you?"

Katara flicked a glance towards the ornate four poster bed bedecked in crimson silk and gold embroidered quilts of the same brilliant scarlet before surveying her husband with an arch look. "As much as I appreciate Zuko's generosity in giving us one of the best rooms his palace had to offer, I have to say that the high point of that bed was sleeping next to you." To her delighted surprise, Aang mumbled her name and ducked his head, blushing in response. Katara grinned at him. "Hmm…it's nice to know that I can still make you blush after all these years."

"You always make me blush," he told her softly, "even when you can't see it."

They smiled at each other in affectionate silence before Katara resumed packing. "You really should stop lollygagging and get your things together, Aang," she scolded him when he continued to loiter on the bed, "We're supposed to leave within the hour. You always procrastinate until the very last second and then you're left scrambling around in confusion and begging for my help so that _I_ end up packing for you while you sit around twiddling your thumbs." Unable to deny the charge, Aang averted his face with a sheepish smile. "Yeah, that's right. I'm on to you now."

"But you do such a good job of it," he wheedled with a charming grin, "Much better than I could ever hope to do."

"I'm immune to the face now, Aang," she deadpanned, "So get up and get to it."

"Yes, dear," he replied in a dutiful mumble, finally rolling from the bed with the half-hearted intention to pack.

Unlike Katara, he wasn't quite as excited about the prospect of returning to Air Temple Island. It wasn't that he didn't love the place because he did. He and Katara had made a life there and built their family there. It was his home. Still, there was something inside him that craved a nomadic existence and Aang couldn't deny that the impromptu trip he and Katara had decided to take a little more than three years prior had filled an unconscious need within him. At his core, Aang supposed, he would always be a wanderer.

They had been in the Fire nation for the last six months, having arrived just in time to be present for the birth of Zuko's first grandson who had been named in honor of Zuko's late uncle Iroh. It had been a privilege and honor for Katara and Aang to share that milestone with Zuko and Mai and to watch their friends rejoice in the expansion of their family. Just two and a half years prior Aang and Katara had become the proud grandparents to a new grandson themselves. That birth was only one of the many changes their family had undergone in recent years. In the time that they had been away from Republic City, the aging couple had experienced quite a few milestones and a number of adventures as well.

In addition to witnessing the birth of Bumi's son, seeing Kya become one of the foremost healers in the South Pole, attending several birthday and anniversary celebrations and even observing as Tenzin taught his first official class for the incoming flux of new acolytes at the Southern Air Temple, Aang and Katara had also found themselves embroiled in national conflicts that were reminiscent of their younger years. Being on vacation hadn't meant that they had been suspended in their duties as protectors of the nations. However, the wisdom and skill that they had both acquired over the years had allowed Aang and Katara to resolve those conflicts rather quickly, which afforded them with the more time to reacquaint themselves with the world.

During their travels, they had revisited several towns and provinces, including Kyoshi Island and the small fishing community that Katara and Aang had saved in the Fire Nation. Both places had changed remarkably in the decades since they had last been there. Kyoshi was now a well known and respected training ground for aspiring Kyoshi warriors and the small, struggling fishing town that had once been on the brink of starvation was now a lucrative hub for trade merchants.

The world around them was slowly beginning to evolve with the advent of crazy new inventions like the moving car and something called a "telephone," which allowed a person to send voice messages to another via a wire. So many crazy and wonderful changes and yet one thing always remained constant and steady, like the ebb and flow of the tides…Aang and Katara's love for one another hadn't diminished in the slightest. In fact, the bond continued to strengthen with age. They had grown comfortable and content with one another, appreciating the inevitable slowdown in their busy schedules.

Consequently, the couple had cherished the exclusive time they'd had to spend together in the last three years. It had been a relatively peaceful trip which had allowed them the opportunity to solidify the bonds of their friendship and settle into the inevitable life changes that age brought with it. During that time of transition, the dream which had disturbed Aang only a few weeks before their trip had reoccurred only on a handful of occasions. Although it always left him feeling shaken and frightened when he awakened, Aang decided not to put too much stock in the nightmare otherwise.

After all, he was getting older and it made sense that his mortality would eventually become an issue for him, especially given the reality that he _had_ to die in order for the Avatar cycle to continue. That was an inescapable reality. However, having to die and having to die _soon_ were two very different things and for that reason Aang didn't let the dream bother him nor did he burden Katara with the knowledge of it. He had a good 20 or 30 years left with his wife and children and grandchildren. There was no need to squander the precious time he had with them by obsessing over something he knew he couldn't control.

Presently, Aang mused over all of that as well as the highlights of their trip, invariably making very little progress in his packing efforts. Noticing his preoccupation, Katara heaved an exasperated sigh and snatched his shirt, which had been hanging forgotten from his fingers, from his grip in order to fold it. "I honestly don't know what I'm going to do with you," she huffed, butting him aside so that she could take over the task of gathering his clothing for herself.

He smirked at her. "I thought you said you weren't going to help me."

Katara growled at him, blue eyes narrowed in a warning glare. "Don't pretend like this wasn't your plan all along!"

"Can I help it if I'm not in as big a hurry to return home as you are?"

Catching the note of wistfulness in his tone, Katara frowned and straightened. "You sound like you don't want to go back," she murmured, "You _do_ want to go back, don't you, Aang?"

Aang casually traced the carved post of the bed before shifting around to survey her with a thoughtful look. "What if I told you that I didn't?"

"You don't?" she asked, finding the notion altogether surprising, "But you love Republic City, Aang. It's our home. Why wouldn't you want to go back?"

"I do love it there and I have missed it," he admitted, reaching forward to tug her into his arms, "But I've also missed having this freedom with you. I've missed being able to go where we wanted to go when we wanted to go. This trip has been so incredible and I don't want it to end."

Katara wrapped her arms around his waist, snuggling into his arms with a contented sigh. "I don't want it to end either, but we have to go home some time."

"Do we?"

She flashed him with an ironic look. "You know we do. Why are you acting like it's the last thing you want to do?"

"I'm not saying that."

"Then what is it?" she urged, leaning back to regard him intently, "Are you feeling trapped or something? Is this some kind of mid-life crisis? Next thing I know you'll be trading in me and Appa for younger models."

Aang laughed at her sardonic muttering. "That will never happen. I'm not going to trade you and Appa in for younger models. I'm not having a mid-life crisis. And I'm not saying that I've felt trapped either," he told her, "_But_, I would be lying if I didn't say that the constant, predictable routine we had back in Republic City could be stifling at times. I needed to get out of there."

"Well, there's no reason why we can't shake that routine up every once in a while." Katara tipped her head back to offer him a small smile. "You're not resuming a prison term, Aang. We can take a leave of absence from Republic City whenever we want. Maybe we should make a habit out of getting away every now and then."

"You promise?"

"I don't see why we can't," she considered, "Plus we'll have the grandkids visiting on a regular basis so that's sure to shake things up too."

"I love it when they come to visit," Aang laughed, "It reminds me of when Kya and Bumi were small and they'd run around the house all crazy. Maybe we can even take the kids with us on some of our trips. Appa would love that."

Katara smiled. "I like that idea. Only we might not want to be gone for years at a time when we do it. That might not be so good. I think our kids might be grateful for the reprieve, but I doubt the Council would be too happy about it."

"I can't imagine why. Tenzin has been doing a fine job serving them in my absence and he's much better at it than I am," Aang replied, "Who says I shouldn't retire and just let him have the gig full-time?"

"He does," Katara countered wryly, "While it's nice of you to be so generous with _your_ job, our son has a life and he's ready to get back to it, Aang. He and Lin are planning to go away together after we return."

"Go away together?" Aang frowned. "Wait. I thought they broke up."

"No, that was two months ago," Katara reminded him, shrugging out of his arms to return to her task, "They've reconciled since then." She threw a teasing look at him over her shoulder. "Try to keep up. Remember in Tenzin's last letter to us he said that they were trying to work things out and that they were planning to get away from Republic City for a while to do that. That's part of the reason why we need to get back home."

Having had his fantasy thoroughly shattered, Aang flopped back onto the bed with a dramatic groan. "Do you think those two will ever get their acts together?" he wondered.

Leaving off in her work for a moment, Katara climbed into the bed and stretched out beside him. "I don't know," she sighed, "I hope so."

Aang's mouth quirked in a smile as he thought back to something Roku had once told him long ago. "Love really _is_ hard when you're young."

"Young? They're 26 years old, Aang," Katara pointed out.

"That's still young in my book."

Conceding his point, Katara exhaled a hefty sigh before shifting around to prop herself up onto her elbow so that she could peer down at him. She traced the line of the pale blue arrow on his forehead with her fingertip. "Do you think Tenzin and Lin are incompatible?"

Aang squinted up at her, capturing her hand and bringing it to his lips. "How do you mean?"

"Well, they've been fighting a great deal lately. They're constantly on again and off again and they rarely agree on anything. I know they love each other, but shouldn't things be a bit easier between them by now? They have been together over ten years."

"Hmm…it takes a while to work the kinks out," Aang considered with a shrug, "Look at us. We were still having our share of problems ten years into our marriage too, Katara. They'll work it out just like we did."

"It was different with us."

"How so?"

"Well, for one thing, we were married already. We had a family and we were progressing in our relationship."

"You don't think Tenzin and Lin are progressing?"

Rather than ponder an answer to that, Katara decided to turn the question back around on him. "Do you?"

It was evidently a difficult question to answer because Aang foundered for a bit in his attempt to give one. "I think they want to be with each other," he phrased carefully after a few moments, "and that desire is what compels them to stay together even though the circumstances between them aren't ideal."

"But don't you think they should be married by now or…or planning a family?"

Aang fixed her with a knowing smile. "Aren't you the one who is always telling me that our children have to do things on their own timetable and not ours?" he reminded her mildly.

"This isn't the same thing," Katara refuted, "I'm not trying to decide a life course for Tenzin. But I can see the longing in his eyes when he watches Kya and Bumi with their families. He wants children, Aang. He wants a family of his own. But Lin is not interested and never has been."

"She could change her mind," he ventured hopefully.

"We've been saying that for years now. You know she's not going to do that."

Aang nodded with a quiet sigh. "Yeah, I know."

Katara flopped onto her back and folded her hands across her belly, contemplating the satin canopy above their heads while also contemplating another unavoidable truth that had remained unspoken between her and Aang for years. "Our son is going to get his heart broken, isn't he?"

A beat of silence passed before Aang confirmed softly, "He is. They both are."

Although it wasn't anything Katara didn't already know, hearing the words aloud caused sorrowful tears to spring to her eyes. She resolutely blinked them back. "I hate that," she muttered gruffly, "I hate that for him and for her." She turned her head to regard Aang with a mournful expression. "I wanted them to make a life together."

Aang drew her close, hugging her to his side. "I wanted that too. But who knows? Tenzin might just decide that being with Lin is more important than having children and they _will_ make a life together."

"But why does he have to decide that?" Katara demanded in a lamenting tone, "Why can't Lin bend on this? It's no small thing that she's expecting him to compromise on, Aang. This is about more than simply having a child. The future of his entire race depends on this. She had to know when she got involved with Tenzin that having children with him was a foregone conclusion."

"Katara, she was thirteen years old when they fell in love," Aang reminded her, "And as focused and driven as Tenzin has always been about the future, even he wasn't thinking about children back then. All he wanted was to be with her."

"Lin is a smart girl. She knew the implications."

"Okay, maybe she did," he conceded, "But why does that mean she had to resign herself to being a mother just because she fell in love with him?"

Katara made a face at him that clearly said his statement was the most ludicrous thing she had ever heard. "You're not seriously asking me that question, right?"

"Yeah, I seriously am," Aang declared succinctly, scooting around to face her with a slight frown. "Is that how you felt when you married me, Katara?" His features clouded over with dread. "Did you feel obligated to have children with me because I was the last airbender?"

She reached out to smooth away the creases in his forehead and pressed a loving kiss to his lips, soothing his anxiety with her touch. "No. I didn't feel obligated to have children with you, Aang. I _wanted_ to have your babies. I _wanted_ to have a family with you…because I loved you. And that's my point. Shouldn't Lin be inclined towards the same feelings? If she loves Tenzin as much as she says she does, then why wouldn't she want his children? Why wouldn't she want a family with him?"

"Katara, it's not fair to put those kinds of stipulations on her feelings or project what you _think_ Lin should feel onto her," Aang murmured, "You and I both know that there's not much of anything that Lin wouldn't do for Tenzin."

"Except this," Katara whispered.

"We don't know what's going on inside of her heart. We shouldn't judge her."

"Okay. Maybe you're right," she conceded in a mumble, "I know it's not fair, but I can't help feeling this way, Aang. It's difficult for me to watch Tenzin be in pain and struggle so hard to make things work between him and Lin. I know he's a grown man but he's still my baby and I hate seeing him hurt. You would think that Lin would compromise just a little…"

"The same could be said about Tenzin. Compromise works both ways."

"And you seriously expect _Tenzin_ to compromise?" Katara scoffed. When Aang lifted his shoulders in a noncommittal shrug, she cried, "He can't afford to do that, Aang! You know this already! Better than anyone. Lin doesn't have half as much to lose as he does."

"I don't think it's that simple."

"Do you really want for you and our son to be the only two airbenders left in the world _ever_?" Katara queried frankly, "Be honest with me."

"No," he admitted gruffly after some silence, "No, I don't want that. I never have. _But_," he tacked on quickly before Katara could use his answer as a springboard for her argument, "that doesn't mean that I think it's right to put that responsibility onto Lin's shoulders anymore than I would have put it onto yours. She didn't grow up the way Tenzin did and she doesn't see family the way he does. She's dealt with her father's abandonment her entire life. She watched Toph struggle and sacrifice as a single mother. We'll probably never know how those experiences shaped her views of love, marriage and family, but she is entitled to those views, Katara."

"Why do you always have to be so reasonable about this?" she grumbled, "Is it so wrong for me to want our son to be happy?"

"I'm not reasonable about it at all," he denied, "You don't think that I worry about it? I do. But if I truly let myself obsess about what's going to happen to my race and culture if Tenzin doesn't have a child, I'd become consumed with anxiety and frustration.

"I don't like what happened to my people," Aang continued fervently, "I don't like the part _I_ played in what happened. But I can't let myself become eaten alive with a quest to undo the past because that's impossible…for me and for Tenzin. That's the quickest route to becoming self-absorbed and single-minded and I don't want to be that person. I don't want Tenzin to be that person."

"So he's supposed to just give it up…something he's dreamed about since he was a little boy?"

"If Lin is worth it to him, then _yes_," Aang emphasized, "Yes, he should give it up…and not look back."

"I can't believe you're saying this."

"It's not anything I wouldn't have done myself if I were in his place, Katara," he whispered, "If the choice had been between you and restoring airbenders to the world, I would have chosen you." He reached up to sweep away the lone tear that spilled over her lashes and down her cheek. "I'll always choose you."

She choked his name in a broken whisper, burying her face in the folds of his robe. "Don't say things like that."

"Why not?"

Katara pierced him with a fierce look. "Because I would _never _let you compromise yourself that way."

Aang smiled at her ferocity. "And you never know…maybe Lin won't allow Tenzin to compromise himself either," he murmured in return. "I don't know how it's going to work out for them in the end, but one thing that I have never doubted is that Lin loves Tenzin with all she has."

"I know that she loves him," Katara conceded, "I just don't know if it's enough."

"Unfortunately, that's not up to us to decide. It's up to Tenzin. We can't intervene, Katara. We have to let them figure this out on their own without our interference."

"Is that your way of saying that it's going to work out the way it's supposed to and we shouldn't worry?"

"No, you can still worry. I worry," he replied with an ironic smile, "What I'm saying is that this is one of those hard-knock life lessons that Tenzin has to endure in order to grow as a person and as a man. We can't shield him from it. In fact, to do so would be a disservice to him. And we also can't blame Lin because she isn't making it easy."

"I…just…I don't understand her at all, Aang," Katara sighed, "If I had been able to have more children, I would have in a second. There was a time after Tenzin was born…after the miscarriage when I wanted another child more than anything. I still struggle with the reality that I couldn't have more children to this day."

"And you feel like Lin is wasting an opportunity, is that it?"

Katara ducked her face to hide it from his view. "When you put it like that I sound incredibly judgmental, don't I?"

Aang pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "You sound human."

"It's not that I don't know that I'm being unreasonable when it comes to her," Katara mumbled against his chest, "I do know that, Aang. I know I'm projecting my disappointments onto Lin and punishing her for not making the decisions that I would have made if I were in her place. But, as much as I love her, I don't know how to stop resenting her."

Aang nudged her beneath her chin, coaxing her eyes to his. "It might help if you try forgiving yourself first, Katara."

She dropped her gaze, her features becoming shuttered as she brazened, "I don't know what you mean."

"You know exactly what I mean," he insisted softly, "Stop punishing yourself for the miscarriage and then maybe you can stop punishing Lin."

Katara stiffened at the charge, but she didn't bother to deny it. "I don't know how," she mumbled in a tear roughened voice.

"The same way you taught me," Aang whispered. Katara slowly lifted shimmering blue eyes to his earnest gray ones. "You never once let me blame myself for what happened to my people. You never called me out for being selfish and stupid because I ran away that night and didn't think about the consequences. You've never held me accountable for putting that kind of burden on our son."

"None of that was your fault, Aang," she breathed, her throat aching with the self-recrimination she heard in his tone, "Why would I blame you? And why would you blame yourself?"

"I could ask you the very same question," he countered, "Why is it that you can have so much compassion and understanding for me, but spare none for yourself, Katara?"

"It's not the same thing."

"It _is_ the same thing. If you're guilty of failing me then I'm equally as guilty of failing you, even more so." When she tried to turn away from him, he held her fast, framing her face in his hands as he beseeched her, "Let it go, sweetie. Please. For me, Katara? You have to let it go."

There was an agonizing second when he thought she would push him away. But then her flinty expression crumpled in anguish and she buried her face in his chest with a choked sob. Her tears were muffled at first, as if she were trying to keep them at bay, but eventually her entire body began to jerk with the force of her anguish. She cried as if she was being ripped in two and Aang knew that it was a culmination of years of grief, regret and self-blame that she was purging. When it was over, she was left hiccupping into his chest, her fingers still twisted in his robes, clutching him close to her. Aang sifted his lips across the top of her head, not realizing that he was weeping himself until he felt the wetness moistening the sheets beneath his head.

"I'm sorry for losing control like that," she whispered when she finally found the courage to lift her head and meet his eyes.

He brushed away the clinging vestiges of her tears. "Don't apologize," he murmured, "You've been holding on to that for a while now…almost twenty-six years. It was way past time for you to let it out."

"Yeah. I guess it was."

"Do you feel better now?"

"I…I don't know if I'd describe it as 'better,' but I do feel unburdened," she admitted, "And I know you're right about everything you've said. I have been punishing Lin, even if it has only been in my mind, and that needs to stop."

"So what are you going to do to fix it?"

"I suppose I should give her the benefit of the doubt and keep in mind that Lin isn't me. I should appreciate the ways that she makes our son happy and not dwell so much on the ways she doesn't."

"I know this isn't easy for you. It's a complicated situation. But I know you'll work it out, Katara. And I know this because you're always the one who helps _me_ work it out."

Eyes welling with fresh tears, Katara folded her arms across his chest and rested her chin atop her hands to regard him. "Don't you ever get tired of being so ridiculously understanding and pragmatic?" she sighed.

Aang flicked a lock of her hair playfully. "Actually, I do it to annoy you," he teased.

She shook her head in laughing exasperation. "You don't annoy me, Aang. You inspire me to be a better person."

"Well, we have that in common because you do the same for me. Your love humanizes me, Katara. It grounds me. I don't know if I could have survived the loss of my people without you…not with my humanity intact."

"You give me more credit than I deserve," she whispered.

"I don't think I give you enough," he whispered back.

Katara opened her mouth to argue further on that point when the large clock alongside the armoire began to chime loudly, signaling the dawn of a new hour. "Oh no!" Katara cried, jumping from the bed with a disappointed groan, "We're supposed to meet Zuko and Mai down in the courtyard in ten minutes to say goodbye and neither of us are packed yet!"

Aang stacked his hands behind his head to regard her with an amused smile. "You mean the queen of preparation is…" he paused to emit a mock gasp of alarm, "…unprepared? Well, this is quite shocking."

She wagged her finger at him menacingly. "This is _your_ fault. You distracted me with all your cuddles and serious talk and emotional purging!"

Rather than pointing out to her that she had been the one to initiate the "serious talk," Aang swung upright and favored her with a gamine smile. "It's okay, sweetie," he soothed, "I'll be more than happy to help you finish packing and I won't even complain about it." His answer to that was a muttered curse and a face full of the shirt she had folded for him earlier. "Should I take that to mean you don't want my help?" Katara responded by telling him precisely what he could do to himself.

Despite her surliness, Aang grinned at her adoringly as she flounced about the room like a maddened thing, throwing their belongings haphazardly into their traveling bags. Even when she was bristling and irritable, she enthralled him. He felt himself fall in love with her all over again.

"Hey, Katara?"

Annoyed that he had yet to move from the bed to help her, Katara barely spared him a look as she huffed in reply, "What do you want, Aang?"

"I love you," he said quietly, "and I love us. I love who we are together…I love who I am when I'm with you." She froze in her tracks, her breath suspended as he added, "You know that, don't you?"

The words were so sweetly uttered, so genuine that Katara couldn't maintain her annoyance with him, not when he was looking at her in that melting manner that he always looked at her. With her mood shifting again, Katara capriciously left off her frantic efforts to pack then and practically skipped across the room to crawl into his lap. She straddled him with a contented sigh.

"Yeah, I know," she whispered, "But I never get tired of hearing it."

"Well that's a good thing then," Aang laughed as he pulled her down for a kiss, "because I _never_ get tired of saying it."

**~End~**


	27. The Last Good Thing

**The Last Good Thing **

Aang awoke with the unshakable knowledge that he was going to die that very day. The realization was a shock and _not_ a shock. After all, he had known that it was coming for some time now. He simply hadn't anticipated that the day would come quite so soon.

Yet, as his wife of 47 years, stirred and stretched beside him in bed before turning over to drape across his chest and favor him with a languorous smile full love and happiness, Aang resolutely pushed the bleak realization from his mind and smiled back at her. "Good morning," he greeted in a sleep-roughened tone.

"Good morning," Katara whispered back, "Happy anniversary."

He cupped her face, strumming his thumb across the fine lines crinkled at the corner of her eye. "It is now."

"Ugh, you!" Katara grumped, giving his shoulder a playful slap, "Aang, it's too early in the morning to start with that kind of flattery."

He watched her roll upright in gradual inches. She complained very little as she attempted to muster some cooperation from her stiffening joints, but Aang knew she was uncomfortable. That was one of the things that he admired about Katara the most. She'd always possessed the strength and fortitude to push through anything, an indomitable willpower and steely determination that was unmatched by anyone he had ever met. At least Aang could have the confidence that she would survive after he passed on from this life. She would recover. But the knowledge didn't make leaving her any easier. In fact, it was the _last_ thing he wanted to do because, while he was sure Katara would recover, Aang didn't quite know how to contemplate living in a world that didn't include her.

The dream he'd had more than ten years prior had continued to plague him for the remainder of his life. The nightmares had been sporadic at first, coming once every four to six months. But in recent years they had begun to dominate his sleep with increasing frequency. In the beginning, Aang had stubbornly refused to acknowledge them as anything other than a manifestation of his sub-conscious fears. However, as the years continued to meander by, he began to see the transformation, the striking physical similarities between _his_ Katara and the sobbing Katara of his dreams. Aang knew then that the nightmares weren't a manifestation of his fears at all. They were a glimpse of the future. They were real.

He hadn't known _when_ his death was coming, but Aang knew for a certainty that it was imminent. Shortly after his sixty-fifth birthday, he began making preparations for the new Avatar. Yet, he hadn't spoken to anyone about the true reason behind his urgency, most especially his wife. She had asked him, again and again, but he had reassured her that there was no need to worry. Instead, he told anyone who inquired that his reasoning was that he simply wanted the next Avatar to have a safe place to train and available instructors for when the time came. He didn't want his successor's mastery of the elements to be a repeat of his own struggle. At the time, Aang had believed he still had some years to prepare for his death…and to prepare Katara.

In keeping with that line of thought, Aang had turned his attention towards finding instructors, but he hadn't needed to search very hard for the perfect teachers. Tenzin, a full master now, was already a foregone conclusion for instructing the new Avatar in airbending. Aang had initially wanted Toph to serve as the new Avatar's earthbending instructor, but when she had expressed her reluctance to do so given that Aang's death would bring about such circumstances, Aang had respected her refusal. She did, however, highly recommend one of her former earthbending students and, after seeing him in action and speaking with him personally, Aang had little doubt that he would serve as an excellent earthbending instructor.

Lastly, he had asked Katara. Of course, she hadn't been favorable to the conversation. Any talk of his death, even in abstract terms, was unpleasant for her. She knew that some time it _would_ happen, but she never wanted to imagine the context. Katara also didn't want to think that Aang would die so soon that she would be available to train his successor. She hadn't wanted to contemplate serving as waterbending master to the next Avatar when that would mean also contemplating a life without Aang in it. It was easier to tell herself that he was worrying needlessly or simply being precautious. Deep in denial, Katara hadn't wanted to discuss it, much less seriously ponder the weighty request Aang was making of her.

However, when the White Lotus Society began drafting the architectural plans for the compound that would serve as the new Avatar's training center, she began to soften a little. She realized that, as much as she hated it, Aang was undeniably adamant and he never would have asked her if he didn't believe it was important. Truthfully, she wasn't a great deal more receptive to the idea than she had been when Aang had first suggested it to her, but she had agreed nonetheless and ultimately for one reason only. Aang had asked her. And in the fifty plus years they had been together, Katara had been able to deny him very little.

Even now, as she pushed herself from bed with the intention of readying herself for the day, she didn't scold Aang because he continued to languish there, seemingly content to lie there and watch her every move. "You do know that we have guests who will be arriving very shortly, right?" she reminded him airily, "Are you planning to greet them in your pajamas?"

"But they're not _real_ guests," Aang argued deprecatingly, "They're family. And you get special leeway with family. Who knows, they might decide to come in their pajamas too."

"Aang, I'm not letting you lounge around in your pajamas all day," Katara replied mildly, "But nice try."

"Eh…it was worth a shot."

He rolled to the edge of the bed then and perched himself there, ignoring the wavering specters of previous avatars that seemed to hover all about the room, filling it with their energy. They waited for him patiently, beckoning him home… "A little while," he whispered to them in his heart, "Just a little while longer with her."

Katara crossed over to him then and pressed a loving kiss to the tip of his arrow, something she had done countless times over countless years, but Aang treasured that fleeting caress as if it were the first time…and the last. He tipped back his head to smile at her. "What is it?"

"I noticed that you slept better last night," she whispered, "No nightmares. First time in months, huh?"

Aang well knew the reason he'd been dreamless. Premonitions were no longer necessary when the day finally arrived for them to come true. But he refrained from telling Katara that. "You're right. It was a pretty uneventful night for me."

"Good. I'm glad," she said, turning away to retrieve her clothing in preparation for her morning bath, "Maybe we've finally turned a corner and whatever spirit shenanigans that were going on before have finally worked themselves out."

Startled by her observation, Aang directed a curious, guarded look at her. "What made you think that it was 'spirit shenanigans,' Katara?"

Katara sighed and straightened, regarding him with a solemn expression. "Aang, you haven't had dreams like that since you were 12 years old. I remember what it was like when you would wake up from them, gasping and shaking and more terrified than I've ever seen you in my life. I remember that look in your eyes. It's the same one that's been there every time you wake up from one of those dreams."

"Why didn't you say anything about it?" he wondered softly.

She lifted her brows in unspoken chastisement. "Why didn't you?"

"I guess I didn't want you to worry," Aang murmured, "But you've done that anyway, haven't you?"

She smiled at him, her forgiveness coming easily when she heard the contrition in his voice. "It doesn't matter anymore now," she told him, "Hopefully it's all behind us and we never have to give it a second thought again."

Aang watched her leave with a heavy heart, clamping down on the wild desire to call her back into the bedroom. For the first time, he let himself feel a flash of blinding anger over it all. He wasn't ready to leave her! He didn't _want_ to die! They should have more time together, to grow older and closer and more in love than they already were. Saying goodbye to her seemed unfathomable to him, inconceivable and impossible, infinitely more difficult than it had been even to bury his beloved sky bison, Appa. How could saying "goodbye" to Katara not be hard? She had been a part of his existence for so many years that Aang could no longer imagine who he was without her.

In that second, he wanted to curse the avatar spirit and the avatar cycle as well, but he didn't…because he knew without either he would have never met Katara at all. They had been separated by 100 years, a full generation. His life should have been ending just as her life was about to begin, but that hadn't been the case. The avatar spirit had saved him…but Katara…she had freed him. She had given him _everything_.

As much as he knew that she deserved to know that this day would be the last they would ever share together…at least in this lifetime, Aang couldn't bring himself to tell her the truth. He couldn't shatter her that way. He already knew how Katara would react. She would fly into immediate denial and their final day together would be punctuated by tears and sadness rather than smiles and joy. He wanted her to enjoy her wedding anniversary without the dark specter of grief hanging overhead. It was, perhaps, the last perfect gift that he could give her.

By the time Aang found the wherewithal to exit his bedroom and shuffle off for the bathroom to clean up, the house was already coming alive with activity. He could hear the raucous shouts of his grandchildren and the pounding of their small feet as they played in the common area of the house. Above the melee, he detected Kya and Hikari's longsuffering attempts to restore order while Katara merely laughed and encouraged her girls to let the children play. In his mind's eye, Aang could imagine his oldest son egging on the children's rambunctious activities while his youngest son slipped from the house to meditate in a bid for peace and quiet. Aang smiled to himself, quite certain in that moment that his family was perfect.

Later on that day, Sokka, Suki, Zuko, Mai and Toph would all arrive as well, also bringing with them their respective offspring and grandchildren to celebrate his and Katara's 47th wedding anniversary. Aang could have never imagined that fifty four years prior when five misfit teens found one another and banded together to save the world, that they would have changed each other's lives so irrevocably. He never imagined that they would still be as close now as they had been back then. The years he had to spend with them were being prematurely cut short, but Aang couldn't be bitter. He wasn't ignorant to the fact that he had been blessed in countless ways already, their friendship being one of the greatest blessings of all.

When Aang stepped into the common room fifteen minutes later, Bumi was the first to notice his entrance. He suddenly sat up on the sofa and favored his father with a broad smile. "Well, look who finally decided to rejoin the land of the living!" he joked, "When did you start sleeping in, Dad?"

"When my children left home and I gained the freedom to do it, _son_," Aang retorted wryly.

As Kya and Hikari darted forth with softly murmured "happy anniversaries" and affectionate pecks of "good morning" on each of Aang's cheeks, Bumi's teasing reply to him was drowned out by the sudden flocking of his grandchildren. The youngest of the children gathered around him like chanting natives, begging to be taken for a ride on grandpa's air scooter while the teenagers shushed them and attempted to scoot around for their own greetings. They vied for the center, one bumping another out of the way in a bid to have Aang's undivided attention. Only Miki, the oldest of the bunch, held back and waited because she knew she already had a special place in her grandfather's heart and that he would come to her eventually. After promising that he would give the smaller children a ride once he finished helping their grandmother in the kitchen, Aang finally excused himself to greet his eldest granddaughter.

At twenty-five years of age, Miki was the startling likeness of her grandmother at that age. It was a little disconcerting for Aang to look into the face of his daughter's daughter and see the image of his wife. He flicked a meaningful glance towards Miki's rounded abdomen. "You're trying to make me feel old, aren't you?"

"Uh-huh," she teased, "That's my mission in life every day." And then she spoiled the gentle ribbing by laughing and flinging her arms around him in a tight hug. "It's so good to see you again, Grandpa!"

Aang returned her embrace fiercely, cherishing those fleeting few moments he held her in his arms, remembering the first time he had done so only moments after her birth. Miki leaned back to regard him with a smile. "I was starting to get a little impatient with you taking your time to get up this morning," she told him, "I thought I was going to have to get drastic and break out Gran's cast iron pot and spoon again."

He chuckled at the reminder, well remembering Miki's preferred way of waking him and Katara when she would come to visit them during the summer months. "Oh please, don't remind me," he groaned.

"Hey now. This house was like a well-oiled machine when I was here running things," she teased.

Grunting at the charge, but unable to deny it, Aang asked, "So where's your husband?" He turned a curious glance about in search of the aforementioned, "He came with you today, didn't he?"

"He's outside with Uncle Tenzin," Miki said, "I think having all the children underfoot is a little overwhelming for him."

"He'd better get used to it and quickly too," Aang said, giving her belly a pat, "It will be _his_ child running around creating the ruckus before too long."

Miki rose up on her toes to smack a sound kiss to his wrinkled cheek. "See, that's what I love about you, Grandpa…you're always so practical."

"You can thank your grandmother for that."

After lingering in the living room a few minutes more to chat with his children and older grandchildren, Aang slipped quietly from the room to join his wife in the kitchen. The ghosts of the past avatars remained with him, hovering and silent…waiting patiently to take him… Unwilling to focus on that grim reality, however, Aang crept up behind his wife where she stood at the stove, stirring a large pot on an unknown something, and slipped his arms around her. He felt a low laugh rumble in her chest as he bent to press an affectionate kiss to the crook of her neck.

"How is it that today is _your_ wedding anniversary," he wondered, "but _you're_ the one in here making the meal?"

"I wanted to do it," Katara reassured him, "It makes me happy."

Aang pressed a kiss to her temple. "_You_ make me happy."

Katara slanted him an amused sideways glance. "So we're going to become great-grandparents pretty soon," she remarked, "What do you think of that?"

"I think I still haven't adjusted to the idea that Miki is old enough to be married, much less have a baby."

His wife twisted a smile at him over her shoulder. "You're thinking where did the time go, aren't you?"

"Isn't this the same conversation we have every time one of our kids has a kid?" he asked wryly.

"And now our kids' kids are having kids." Aang groaned as Katara turned back towards the stove with a chuckle. "Miki's baby will be a boy, I think," she said after a moment.

"Do you?"

She nodded. "And, if I'm right, she's going to name him after you, so you might want to prepare yourself. I know how sentimental you get about stuff like that." Aang's smile faltered a little as he realized he wouldn't be there when his possible grandson was born. Katara mistook the shuttered look that came to his eyes as self-deprecation. She turned in his arms, framing his face in her withered hands. "Aang, it's an honor to you. That's all Miki wants to do. When will you learn to accept the fact that you're worthy of every bit of the love you receive?"

"I don't know if I'm worthy, Katara, but I do know I'm grateful…especially for you."

With a tender smile, Katara pulled him towards her for a trembling kiss. "I love you, Aang."

"And I love you."

"Oh really? _Again?_" came Bumi's disgusted drawl from the kitchen threshold, "After more than fifty years of kissing, aren't you guys tired of it? We'll never eat breakfast at this rate!"

Eventually, however, they did eat breakfast and by then the others had begun to arrive with well wishes for Aang and Katara. It was strange and altogether rare for them all to be all in one place together again. In all corners of their home, people gathered to laugh and joke and tell stories. Teenagers entertained themselves with the training relics on the grounds while the smaller children chased after the sky bison. The house was filled with happiness and love and boundless joy. Aang imagined that if this was to be his last day in the physical world, he couldn't have wanted it to be any other way.

As the day faded on into evening, however, and Aang felt himself begin to tire, he found a solitary place off on the sidelines to observe the exchanges between his family and guests. He watched with quiet contentment as his wife chatted with their children and respective spouses, reveling in the comfortable affection that permeated their interactions. He watched his grandchildren laugh and skip about and play around the roaring bonfire Zuko had created. He watched Zuko and Sokka joke around with each other much the way they had as boys while their wives rolled their eyes and doted on their own grandchildren. He watched Toph be…well, Toph. And for Aang, in that single, amazing moment, everything was wonderful.

He slid a sideways glance to the drifting apparitions, the radiance of the avatar spirit beginning to glow brightly within them. Aang knew his time was drawing to a close. _Well, almost_, he amended inwardly.

Aang was sitting there, fretting over whether or not he would even last until the end of their party when Tenzin came to sit down beside him. "What are you doing over here all by yourself?" he asked his father.

"Thinking," Aang answered vaguely, "What are _you_ doing over here?"

"Hiding," Tenzin sighed succinctly.

Aang fixed him with a quizzical glance. "From who? From Lin?"

Tenzin dropped his head forward with a deep sigh. "Yeah, actually. You might as well be the first to know. We broke up. More specifically, she broke up with me."

"Again? How many times is this now?"

"No, Dad, this isn't like before," Tenzin mumbled sadly, "This time I think it may be over between us for good. She made some crazy accusations and said a lot of stuff she can't take back and, well… We don't want the same things. We never did. I used to think our love would be enough to work out those differences, but…clearly it's not."

"I'm sorry, Tenzin."

"I am too. I still love her. I still want her. But, she doesn't want to be married and she doesn't want to have a family and I don't know how I'm supposed to reconcile myself with that anymore than she knows how to reconcile herself with the fact that I _do_."

"Have you ever asked her why she feels that way?" Aang wondered.

"She says she doesn't want to lose her identity," Tenzin said, "Whatever that means. I think it might have something to do with her father, but she denies that. She says that she can love me without being defined exclusively as my wife or the mother of my children."

"Sounds like there isn't much room for compromise between you. So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know," Tenzin grunted mournfully, "I'm nearly 36 years old, Dad. I'm not getting any younger here. I want to be a father. I want to have a family. I don't want the two of us to be the last airbenders. I've never wanted that."

Aang placed a commiserating hand on his son's shoulder. "I sympathize with you," he murmured, "Life is too short not to have what you want, Tenzin. But I've learned in my years that nothing worthwhile in life is gained without sacrifice. You're going to suffer a loss either way. You just have to decide which one you can live with."

"I'm not sure that I can sacrifice the future of our race, Dad," he mumbled, "Then again, I'm not sure I can sacrifice being with Lin either. It's really no choice at all. Because, when it's all said and done, I don't just want a family in abstract terms. I want a family with her. And I always have."

After his heart to heart with Tenzin, Aang had the half-formed notion of seeking Lin out in hopes of facilitating some kind of reconciliation between her and his son because he absolutely could not accept the idea of them being estranged on the day of his death. Unfortunately, he had taken no more than a few steps before he felt strangely overwhelmed with fatigue and dizziness. His body felt heavy and sluggish. His heart drummed in slow, methodical thumps. It was as if the life-force was being drained out of him and Aang knew that on some level it was. The time had come for the avatar spirit to pass on to the next avatar and there was nothing on earth that he could do to stop it. He knew that utterly.

Still he begged silently for a delay. "Just until the end of the night, please. Just til then…"

He struggled to collect himself, leaning into a nearby wall until the vertigo finally passed. When he straightened he discovered Toph standing directly in his path. Aang groaned inwardly, noting immediately from her stance that she wasn't in a pleasant mood.

"I've got a bone to pick with you, Twinkle Toes," she ground out, "Your kid is breaking my kid's heart!"

"I think you've got it backwards, Toph," he replied mildly, "_Your_ kid is breaking _my_ kid's heart."

"Hah! Tenzin is the one who's parading that…that Pema in Lin's face simply because she won't bend to what he wants! He's trying to force her hand! I don't like it, Aang!"

"Pema?" Aang echoed with a dubious frown, "You mean sweet, little Pema who serves as an acolyte at the temple? _Our Pema_?"

"Sweet, my foot!" Toph grated, "She's a 19 year old homewrecking floozy is what she is, Aang! She has designs on Tenzin and the only people who seem oblivious to that fact are you and the junior arrowhead!"

"Toph, Pema and Tenzin are just good friends," Aang sighed, "He's her mentor and they have a deep respect for one another, but that is all. He is in love with Lin and has been since he was a boy." Toph grunted her skepticism. "Did you ever stop to consider that maybe Lin is just using Pema as a justification to break things off with Tenzin for good?" he asked.

"Can you cut out all the mystical wisdom crap and get to the point? I'm not getting any younger."

"Fine. Our children are in love with each other, Toph," Aang declared in a tired mumble, "but both of them have very stubborn personalities. Neither of them is willing to compromise in order to make their relationship work. You and I have watched them struggle to do it for almost 20 years now. Maybe this is Lin's way of acknowledging that irreconcilable fact and ending it for good. Maybe she's trying to push Tenzin towards something she thinks is better for him. Maybe she's trying to let him go. We all have to let go sometime, don't we?"

Toph became aware of it then…the subtle shift in his breathing, the decelerated thump of his heart. She could sense the gradual changes taking place in his body, the almost imperceptible shift as his functions began to slow…as if they were preparing to shut down… In an instant, her irritation with him was forgotten and replaced with cold, insidious dread.

"Aang?" she questioned in a trembling voice, "What's going on with you?"

He sighed, unsurprised to discover that, even at 66 years old, he was incapable of hiding anything from her. Still, he tried. "Toph, it's not—,"

"Don't lie. Don't lie to me," she hissed fiercely, her sightless eyes welling with tears, "I hear the difference. I _feel_ it. What is happening with you?"

"You know what," he uttered quietly.

She shook her head as if to deny that veracity of that. "I…I don't understand," she mumbled, "What happened? Are you sick? Does Katara know?"

"No, I'm not sick. It's just my time. And no, Katara doesn't know." His words choked off into a gruff whisper as he said, "I can't. I can't tell her."

Toph started to cry. "When?"

"Soon. Real soon I think…I can feel it," he answered a little breathlessly, "Please don't cry, Toph," he begged thickly, "I can't get through this if _you _start crying."

"I'm telling her right now! I'm telling them all!"

Aang snagged hold of her sleeve before she could make good on that promise, expending what little energy he had left to hold her in place. "No! Don't! Please don't say anything, Toph," he whispered, "This is the last good thing I have to give her…to give them. Please don't take that away from me."

He knew that she wanted to refuse him. He could feel the tension rolling off of her. But ultimately she didn't refuse him. Instead, she collapsed against him then, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face in his robes to muffle her sobs. "Aang, I don't want you to die," she wept, "We've been together practically our whole lives. I'm not ready…"

"Neither am I, Toph," he whispered, shushing her tears even as he was weeping himself, "Neither am I."

Although the effort cost her a great deal emotionally, Toph managed to keep her promise to a lagging Aang for the remainder of the night but she was visibly subdued in the aftermath. To everyone that remarked on the drastic change in her demeanor, Toph evaded their concerns by citing old age and fatigue. However, she and Aang knew the truth behind the sudden solemnity that had sprung up between them. At her first opportunity, Toph pulled her only daughter aside and told Lin, in the vaguest terms that she could, that she needed to put aside her differences with Tenzin for the time being, that he would need her support soon.

Much later in the evening, the party began to wind down with a good portion of their party guests opting to stay at Aang and Katara's house for the evening. Toph, however, had chosen to return home despite Katara's insistence that she stay, knowing full well what was to come in the morning and not wanting to be present for it. Zuko and Sokka, meanwhile, wanted to stay up late, reminiscing about old times and comparing life stories. But Katara, acutely aware of her husband's sudden onset of fatigue, graciously declined their offer and murmured her goodnight before ushering Aang off to bed.

"I wonder if you're coming down with something," she considered aloud as he eased himself between the covers, "Maybe you caught a cold from one of the kids." She finished braiding her hair and then pinned it into a compact bun before scrambling over to join Aang beneath the blankets. She fit herself perfectly against his side and propped herself up onto her elbow to palm his forehead for evidence of fever. When she found none, Katara peered down into his pale features with an anxious frown. "I don't know what it could be, but if you're not feeling better by morning we'll do a healing session."

"Stop worrying about me," he admonished her softly, "You've been doing it since you were fourteen years old. I think you're due for a break now, Katara."

"Not a chance," she whispered, leaning down to kiss him, "I'm always going to worry about you, Aang. So get used to it." She shifted over onto her side then, presenting him with her back so that he could spoon himself behind her and curve his arm over her waist. When he did so, Katara anchored him in place with her own arm, snuggling deeper into his warmth with a happy sigh of contentment. "I love being in your arms," she confessed in a winsome breath, "Most perfect place in the world."

He dropped a kiss to her shoulder. "And I love having you there."

"Today was a good day, wasn't it?"

Aang smiled against her neck, inhaling her scent, committing it to his memory, determined to take it with him wherever he went next. "It was a good day," he agreed, "You looked really happy."

"That's because I _am_ really happy," she laughed wryly, "Can you believe we've been married 47 years?"

"And we've been in love even longer."

Katara turned back to regard him with a loving smile. "And we'll be in love longer still," she whispered, "I know I've said it to you a dozen times already today, but I can't seem to stop myself. I love you, Aang. So very much."

"I love you too, Katara."

"I wish my father had been able to see us today," she sighed sadly as she settled back down against her pillow, "He would have been happy to know that we lasted and that we're still so in love."

"I think…wherever he is right now…he is, Katara."

"He's with my mother. At least, that's what I like to think." She fell silent for a moment and Aang imagined that she had fallen asleep. He was trying to decide whether he was relieved or disappointed by the possibility when Katara stirred against him. "Tomorrow, we should go out to the spot where we buried Appa and place flowers on his grave," she decided in a drowsy tone, "It didn't seem right that he wasn't here with us today. I missed him."

"Me too…"

"So we'll do that," she promised, eyes drifting closed as the exhausting interactions of her busy day began to overwhelm her, "First thing tomorrow morning. And then we'll stay there and have a picnic. Just the two of us…"

"Katara?"

"Yeah, Aang?" she answered in a sleepy mumble.

"Thank you."

"For what, sweetie?"

"For finding me in that iceberg," he whispered, "For never losing hope in me. For being my friend. For loving me. For giving me a family and a home and a place to belong. For being you, Katara."

She shifted around in his arms then and kissed him sweetly, overwhelmed with the desire to touch him. She regarded him with glistening eyes, pressing tiny kisses all over his face. "You don't have to thank me, Aang," she whispered back, "Because you've given me all those things too."

Soon after, she finally drifted off in his arms, her breath whispering softly in the flickering dimness with a deep, even cadence. Aang counted those cherished breaths, reveling in the sound of her, the feel of her, the warmth of her, even as his own breaths began to grow harsh and deep. As his tattoos gradually began to take on an ethereal glow, signifying that final release of the avatar spirit from his body, Aang spoke to his sleeping wife…wanting the last words he uttered in his lifetime to be words of love to her.

"I knew when I first saw you that you would change my life," he rasped, tenderly stroking the fine tendrils of hair curling at her temples and treasuring each delicate touch, "and you did. You have…in ways you will never know. I loved you then, Katara. I love you now. And I'll love you in the life to come…"

The light from the spirit filled the room, illuminating the interior in an unearthly radiance and still Aang kept whispering words of love to his soulmate, his lover and his best friend. He counted out her precious, measured breaths even as his own became increasingly more labored with his efforts to speak until finally his breathing ceased altogether…and the room went dark.

**~End~**


	28. Goodnight Not Goodbye

**Goodnight Not Goodbye**

Her final moments with Aang tumbled through Katara's mind in a series of jagged flashes. With her eyes still closed and her tears bleeding into the pillow tucked beneath her head, she remembered his smile that morning…how he had watched her so intently as if he were memorizing every movement, every word… She remembered the light brush of his fingers across her hips as he had winded her through the crowd of their family and friends, how he had whispered funny little jokes in her ear along the way. She remembered the tender way he had kissed her shoulder as they had cuddled in bed later that evening. And from far away, as she drifted off to sleep, she could still hear his voice telling her how much he loved her…

And then sometime in the middle of the night, something inexplicable had shaken her from her sleep. It was a vague, but innate sense that something was wrong. Katara had awakened with her cheek pressed against Aang's chest and she had listened for the steady cadence of his heartbeat just as she always did, expecting that the soothing lub-dub would lull her back to sleep. But in a twist of morbid irony it was the stunning lack of sound, the echoing silence that jarred her completely awake.

He had still been warm to the touch then and, at first, it was almost as if he were sleeping. She had shaken him, smoothed her hands over his face compulsively, his name spilling from her lips again and again in a desperate plea for him to "wake up." And for a moment, just one fleeting moment, Katara had let herself pretend that she could wake him, that what she knew was true wasn't true at all…because the truth was simply too awful to contemplate.

When the reality came crashing in on her, however, everything that happened afterwards was a screaming blur. She remembered yelling…or she thought she did, but they had come running nonetheless. There had been pounding footfalls and streams of apprehensive faces, keening sobs of grief, urgent cries, and frantic resuscitation attempts, thumping and thumping and thumping on Aang's chest until finally there was Zuko's shattered pronouncement to all present that "the Avatar was dead."

At first she didn't even realize that the broken sobbing she heard reverberating in her ears was her own. Something cracked open inside Katara then, something deep and primal and excruciating. She had fallen to her knees because her legs would no longer support her. Her heart shriveled into something distorted and icy in those horrifying moments before shattering into irreparable pieces. Katara had been sleepwalking through her life ever since.

Their family and friends had mourned Aang and born his body back to the place where he had been raised as a child for a traditional sky burial. The ceremony had consisted of cremating Aang's remains and baking them into bread that was to be scattered for the birds. Aang had told Katara about the custom years and years ago, shortly after they had discovered Gyatso's remains at the temple. The idea was for the birds to take the essence of the deceased with them when they took to the skies, to return that person to the place where all airbenders belonged…among the clouds.

Sokka had come to her afterwards as she was tossing the bread bits and watching the birds swoop down to pick them up, galled at the realization that they were actually gobbling up pieces of what remained of her husband. At the time Aang had described it to her, the ceremony had sounded so beautiful and honorable. But actually taking part in it now, all Katara felt was an undeniable churning in her gut and a fierce need to sob. Nothing about it felt "beautiful" or "honorable."

The moment her brother placed his hand on Katara's shoulder, she stiffened a little. She was torn between wanting his comfort and wanting to be left alone. Sokka, however, seemed to sense her silent vacillation and chose to stay with her, filling the former need and ignoring the latter.

"It's ironic, don't you think?" he began in a tear roughened voice, "We found him together and now we're saying goodbye to him together. I was strangely unprepared for that. I was so sure that he'd outlive us all."

"You know Aang," Katara murmured, "He never was big on following your plans, Sokka…but he tried."

"I'm going to miss him," he whispered, "I _do_ miss him."

Katara's hands began to shake with the effort she expended to keep a tight rein on her emotions. "I miss him too…more than you can imagine."

"You did the right thing today, Katara," Sokka told her gruffly, "Aang would have wanted to be brought back here. He would have wanted to be buried this way."

"I wish that gave me some kind of comfort, Sokka."

"Someday it will," he promised, "But right now…"

"Right now it doesn't seem fair or right or good and it doesn't make saying goodbye to him any easier," she uttered as she continued the drop bits of bread almost mechanically, "I know in my heart that he lived a full life. We had children and grandchildren. It was a good life. And I made him happy, didn't I?" She turned a desperate glance towards Sokka. "I did make him happy, right?"

"Katara, no one made him happier."

"Then why isn't he here right now?" she wept, "I don't understand it. If he could keep himself sustained in an iceberg for 100 years why couldn't I have gotten just a fraction of that time, Sokka? Just a little while longer…"

"I don't know. I don't have the answers, Katara. I wish I did."

She turned back towards the birds. Already they had picked off the remnants of all she had dropped and were loitering around in search for more. She sighed and granted their silent appeal. "I don't want any answers, Sokka," she whispered numbly, "I just want him."

After they had committed Aang back to his ancestral roots, the family had returned to Air Temple Island with heavy hearts and feeling a little lost. But Katara had not felt very much of anything. It was as if she had disconnected from her body and was watching some other Katara, some stranger live her life. There was an odd sense of comfort in feeling nothing…wanting nothing.

Worried for her, her children had taken leaves of absences from their own lives in order to care for their grieving mother. It was difficult for them to watch her grow more and more unreachable and despondent as the days started to blend into weeks. Katara was depressed. That much was understandable. Yet, her anguish seemed to go far beyond grief. It was almost as if she had forgotten how to live entirely.

That wasn't too far from the truth. Katara was numb and tired and most days she could barely muster the desire to even open her eyes in the morning. But she _did_ open them and she made herself rise from the bed and she pushed herself through the mockery of a daily routine all the while feeling as if she'd been gutted. Not living anymore, only existing, only waiting…hoping, praying, _wishing_ for an end. All of those gloomy thoughts tripped through Katara's mind, weighing heavily on her fragile psyche as she contemplated the prospect of slipping from her bed and facing yet another cold, bleak day without her husband.

She crept from underneath the covers in measured increments, rolling upright with the same deliberate lethargy. Katara had to force herself to sit up straight, to slip on her robe, to brush her hair, to leave the lonely confines of the bedroom she had shared with Aang for more than thirty years. The effort she expended felt not unlike running a marathon nonstop at top speed. She was exhausted by the time she stepped out into the corridor beyond the bedroom door.

Almost instantly, however, Katara was inundated with a familiar sense of panic and dread as she yet again was assailed with the haunting reality that facing the day meant facing it without Aang…and she didn't want to do it. She couldn't do it. Not this time. She didn't have the energy to go through the motions, not when Aang had taken everything that was vital inside her when he left. Overwhelmed, Katara did an abrupt about face then, needing desperately to seek refuge in the one place that was still brimming over with Aang's presence…where she could still smell him and feel him and be surrounded by him.

Yet, as she reached for the door handle to retreat back inside her bedroom, the hushed tones of her children's concerned voices reached Katara's ears from across the distance. She stood momentarily frozen, her mother's instincts crying out to comfort them even as there was a part of her that simply could not bring herself to care. Still, in spite of that insidious apathy, something stronger compelled Katara forward. She drifted quietly down the hallway, the muffled strains of their conversation becoming more distinct as she drew closer.

"…is her home," Tenzin was saying, "She wants to be here, Kya! How is uprooting her at one of the most unstable times in her life supposed to help matters?"

"Do you think being here makes it any better?" Kya argued, "She barely comes out of her room anymore, Tenzin. She doesn't eat. She doesn't interact. It's not healthy."

"Dad has only been gone a month, Kya," Bumi interjected gruffly, "We're all still pretty raw, okay. Give her a break! Let her deal with it however she needs to deal with it!"

"I'm not trying to manage her grief," Kya denied in a wooden tone.

"It sounds like it," Tenzin snapped, "You can't just walk in here and tell everyone what to do! Mom will be okay. She needs time. She just lost the man she's loved since she was a child. I don't expect her to shrug that off."

"That's not what I expect either," Kya flared, "But I'm not blind! Mom is wasting away here. I really think it would be better for everyone, _especially Mom_, if she came to live with me and Kamik in the South Pole for a while."

"No!" Tenzin exploded, balking over the prospect of losing his mother even as a grown man, "That's not what she wants! It's not what I want. Why are you pushing this?"

"Kya does have a point, Tenzin," Bumi interjected, "I don't think we should push Mom right now, but maybe being away from the island for a while would be a good thing. There's no reason that she can't come to stay with me and Hikari in the Fire Nation. She has friends there. She'd be happy."

"No," Kya disagreed, "The South Pole is her home. That's where she was born. She should be there."

"_This_ is her home," Tenzin grated, "She built a life with Dad here in this house. The memories she made with him here are all that she has left, Kya. They're all _we_ have left. Are you trying to erase him?"

"Of course I'm not!" she cried, "How can you say that to me? I miss him every day. But being in this house… I can't. I just can't. His memory is in every corner of it and it kills me to know that's all I have left of him! And if I feel that way I cannot imagine what she's feeling!"

"Maybe you guys should ask her before you go deciding what she does and doesn't want," Bumi suggested.

"There's no need for that," Tenzin argued, "The only one making this an issue is Kya!"

"I'm thinking about what's best for our mother," Kya muttered, "Every day she is surrounded by constant memories of Dad and they're not letting her heal. She is lonely and she is depressed and I'm not sure how much will she has to even go on! She is slipping away from us! Can't you see that?"

The silence that followed that grim declaration was deafening. From her concealed place, Katara flinched inwardly and not because Kya's allegation lacked veracity. In fact, it was so true that Katara shuddered. She leaned into a nearby wall with muted sobs as Bumi finally broke the silence amongst his siblings.

"Kya, I know that you're worried right now," he said quietly, "We're all worried. But you know how strong Mom is…how strong she's always been. You can't really believe that she wants to give up, do you?"

"Have you looked at her lately, Bumi?" Kya wept, "I mean really, _really_ looked at her. There's nothing in her eyes anymore and that scares me. I've already lost one parent and I can't lose another. I can't…"

Katara turned away then and whisked the falling tears from her cheeks, having finally heard enough. She knew that the right thing to do would probably be to go in there to her children and reassure them that they wouldn't lose her. She should tell them that she hadn't lost her drive to fight, that her grief wasn't so overwhelming that sometimes she wished to close her eyes and never open them again. But she couldn't do those things. She couldn't make those assurances to them, though she wished she could. Not now, if ever.

She slipped out the side entrance of the house, hoping to seek out a lonely place to collect her thoughts. Somehow, as she walked aimlessly along the grounds, she managed to absently pick some wildflowers that grew along the bluff overlooking the sea. Katara seemingly walked without purpose, but when she came to the two large stones that served as markers for Appa's burial site she realized that she had meant to go there all along. Kneeling down, Katara carefully arranged the bright orange and blue flowers in front of the boulders, her fingers trembling violently as she did so.

"I meant to come here a while ago, boy," she whispered aloud, "I thought Aang and I would come together, but… I guess he's with you now, isn't he?" Katara expelled a shuddering breath, needing a moment to collect herself before she could begin speaking again.

"I've been thinking a lot about that day and I think Aang must have known. I sensed something was different…was bothering him, but I didn't press him about it. He seemed so happy and I didn't want to believe that anything was truly wrong." She whimpered a bit, tears of futility, anger and regret slipping down her weathered cheeks. "Why didn't I press him? I regret not doing that, Appa. I wish I could do it over again. I wish it could be different.

"I could really use his advice right now," she wept softly, "The children are fighting over me. Kya wants me to live with her in the South Pole and part of me can't bear the thought of leaving this place, of leaving _Aang_ behind. But then there's a part of me needs to go…just for a little while…just until I can breathe again. So then…maybe I will. Maybe I should."

Katara waited, motionless and hopeful, as if she expected Aang to give her an answer, as if she expected him to somehow materialize before her and render the past month little more than a fleeting nightmare. But he didn't. There was no whisper, no wind, no sound at all except for her own heartbroken hiccups. Disappointed but not shocked by the resounding silence, Katara slumped forward in defeat. She kissed her trembling fingers before pressing them against the cool surface of the largest rock in an unspoken goodbye.

"I guess I have my answer then. Take care of him, Appa. I know you will. You'll take care of each other."

She didn't realize how late it had become until she started back towards the house and noticed that dusk was beginning to settle. By now her absence had likely been noticed and her children were probably worried sick. Katara felt guilt unfurl in her belly with the thought. She hurried her gait, scrambling over the rocky terrain as quickly as she could. Her hope that she hadn't alarmed her children died a quick death when she spotted Kya atop the ridge ahead of her. When Katara was within twenty feet of the house, her daughter spotted her in the distance and came running.

"Where have you been?" she cried frantically, "You had us going out of our minds, Mom!"

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize how late it was." Katara glanced around in surprise, noting that Kya was alone. "Where are your brothers?"

"Bumi is on the other side of the island looking for you and Tenzin went into the city to search. We didn't know what happened to you! Where have you been all this time?" Kya demanded again.

"I went to put flowers on Appa's grave. Your father and I were going to do it together, but…plans changed."

The trembling in Katara's voice broke Kya's heart and immediately soothed her exasperation. "Mom, come inside now," she cajoled, placing an arm around Katara's shoulders and ushering her towards the house, "We need to talk about some things."

When Katara entered the house the first thing she noticed were the mementos spread out all over the floor, items that she and Aang had cherished from their courtship together. One object in particular caught her attention, a weathered, leather-bound book. She swept it up immediately and flipped it open. It wasn't the book that Katara found precious, but instead what was pressed inside its yellowed pages. She peeled back the yellowed parchment and found her treasure exactly as she'd left it. Katara fingered it carefully.

"What is it?" Kya whispered, coming to stand alongside her.

"It's a necklace made of flowers," she murmured, "Your father made for me when we were children. He told me later that he did it because he _liked_ me…but, of course, I didn't know that at the time."

"And you've kept it all these years?"

Katara nodded. "It was special to me because he gave it to me. _He_ was special."

"Does it help you to talk about him, Mom?"

"Yes. No. It depends on the moment, I guess…if I can do it without feeling like I'm dying inside." Kya flinched, but Katara only regarded her with a resigned expression. "You said you wanted to talk to me?"

"Let's sit first." Though her mother complied with the suggestion without protest, Kya found herself fearful to begin once they were seated face to face. She dreaded her mother's reaction. But, more so, she dreaded her refusal. "Mom, I know it's been hard for you since Dad died," she began tentatively, "and I know it wasn't easy to say goodbye to him, but… I'm worried about you. I'm worried when you don't eat and you don't talk us."

"I don't know what to say."

"Say anything you want," Kya invited, "Say what you're feeling."

"I'm not feeling much of anything, Kya. I want to, but I can't. Not right now."

"Mom, we're here for you," Kya half pleaded, half sobbed, "You're not alone and if you would only let us help you heal then maybe…"

"You can't do that. I don't know if anything will do that," Katara told her. She dropped her eyes and gently closed her book over the dried necklace once more, suddenly absorbed in tracing the leather spine as she whispered, "I wasn't expecting it. Maybe I should have been. Maybe I was being naïve not to. Your father was trapped in an iceberg for 100 years. I guess, technically, he was 166 years old, but I always thought we'd have more time. I really did."

Kya reached over to cover Katara's hand with her own. "So did we, Mom," she said, "I can't say that I know how you feel right now. No one can know that. But Dad left a hole in all of our lives when he died and I don't want you to feel like you have to go through this by yourself." Katara nodded, pressing Kya's fingers lightly between her own. That one, small gesture gave Kya to say her next words. "That's why I want you to come live with me."

"I know," Katara confessed gruffly, "I heard you and your brothers talking earlier."

Her daughter's eyes flashed guiltily. "You heard us?"

"Yes, I did."

"Are you angry? Is that why you left before? We're not trying to dictate your life, if that's what you're thinking."

"No, that's not what I'm thinking," Katara contradicted softly, "and that's not why I left. I left because I felt guilty…because I know that you children need something from me right now. You need comfort. You need support. You need to know that everything will be okay. And I can't give you those things. I can't make those reassurances for you."

"You don't have to. Let us comfort _you_ for a change. Let us reassure you, Mom." Kya cradled her mother's face in her hands, holding Katara much the way she had held Kya when she was a girl. "Listen to me. You are going to be okay," Kya told her, "You are going to get through this. And one day, it won't hurt like it hurts right now. The pain will lessen. I promise you." Kya said the words with absolute conviction even though she had never experienced a loss as profound in her own life. Yet, in that moment, she felt like she was channeling her father, acting as a conduit to speak _his_ words to her mother.

"Yes," Katara whispered after a beat of silence.

"Yes, you believe me?" Kya prodded, stunned.

Katara offered her a faint smile, her first in little more than a month. "Yes, I'll go home with you."

The move turned out to be the best decision for Katara after all. Tenzin hadn't been thrilled with the idea in the beginning. However, when he visited a few weeks after and witnessed his mother slowly begin to emerge from her self-imposed shell of grief, he began to agree with Kya's assessment. Their mother _had_ needed time away from the island.

Back home in the South Pole, Katara found herself surrounded by her grandchildren and scores of potential waterbending students. They helped to keep her busy. Between instructing her pupils, spending time with her grandbabies and preparing Miki for the birth of her first child, Katara had very little time to focus on her own grief. In a strange way, helping others was helping her. Very gradually in the ensuing weeks she learned to smile again and then, eventually, to laugh again as well. However, while Katara's life in the South Pole proved to be rich and active, the raw ache Aang's passing had left in her heart remained. It was a little less acute than it had been at first, but still there.

Only four short months after Aang's death, his namesake was born. Katara chose to commemorate the occasion by setting off on her own to find the spot where she and Sokka had first discovered Aang in a towering chunk of ice almost 55 years before. The iceberg was long gone now and the sea had frozen over anew in that time. But Katara didn't need landmarks to know that she was in the right place. She sensed it. Aang's energy still seemed to linger in that spot. She could feel it crackling all around her. And, as if to confirm her instincts, Katara soon spotted a flock of penguins loitering not too far away.

With a small smile, she recalled Aang's winsome invitation to her, only moments after they first met. _"Will you go penguin sledding with me?"_ She had thought he was a little odd at first, definitely a bit eccentric and yet she had agreed to the request anyway…and it had been one of the best decisions she had made in her life. That strange boy had turned her world upside down in countless ways and saved her, literally and figuratively, in countless others. Feeling enveloped in Aang's presence, Katara stood there contemplating the penguins and wondered if an elderly woman of 68 years should really attempt to toboggan a live penguin down a snowy hillside.

She could practically hear Aang's laughing whisper in her ear, "Sixty-eight is definitely not too old."

"Says you," she grumbled to the wind, "Remember this was _your_ idea when I break my neck."

But the sledding was the easy part. Catching one of the slippery creatures proved to be the difficulty. Katara felt a little silly stalking the flock across the frozen tundra, but the entire time she could practically hear Aang's mirthful encouragement in her mind, egging her on. It was the most real his presence had felt to her in months.

Finally, after much perseverance and several misses, Katara managed to pin one down. Quickly, before reason overtook her and she lost her nerve completely, she hopped onto the animal's back and went zipping down the slope at break neck speed. As the landscape passed her by in a dizzying blur of ice and snow, it was as if her entire life with Aang played out before Katara's eyes.

She remembered the first time he smiled at her, his infectious laugh, his buoyant manner of approaching any and all things with an almost disgustingly positive attitude. She remembered his endearing impatience and his silliness and how easily he could charm forth a smile. She remembered his kiss and his touch and lying next to him skin to skin, his breath against her neck, his fervently whispered "I love yous."

Every fight, every reconciliation, every kind word, every joke, every laugh, every smile, _everything_ rolled through her mind in a blinding array, agonizing and exhilarating, building her up and tearing her down simultaneously… The memories came at her fast and furious, almost battering in their ferocity so that by the time she reached the bottom of the hill and tumbled from the penguin, her hair had come unbound and she was gasping for breath, weeping hysterical tears…because she knew she would _never_ have those things again.

"Why? Why? _WHY?_" she screamed to the empty expanse, her grief so powerful and so uncontainable that she cracked the ice and split it open. The penguins scattered with the deafening sound, seeking refuge as the ground beneath them rumbled and shivered. Katara curled her mitted hands into the packed snow, her entire body heaving with the force of her sobs. "I can't do this, Aang," she wept brokenly, "I cannot be here without you. I don't remember how…I don't want to…"

Katara was so lost in her grief that it took her a moment to realize what was happening. The touch was soft, almost like a breeze sifting through her hair, but when Katara lifted her head she discovered Aang kneeling in front of her, bathed in an unearthly blue light and smiling at her sadly. Her breath caught in her throat, partially because she was shocked to see him and partially because she knew he was a spirit. He wasn't the older man of 66 that she remembered, but instead looked as he had in his mid to late thirties. He was dressed in a simple long-sleeved tunic and loose trousers, a crimson drape angled over his shoulder and tucked into his belt, familiar attire that used to serve as his traveling clothes. Everything about him was so familiar and yet so foreign at the same time.

However, the drastic change in his appearance was merely superficial. He was still Aang. And he looked at her as he always had, with every ounce of love he felt for her shining in his eyes. Katara lifted a trembling hand, wanting desperately to touch him but deathly afraid that if she tried he would disappear. She whispered his name.

"Can you see me, Katara?" he asked. She managed a dumbfounded nod, tears streaming unchecked. "I was afraid you wouldn't. I don't know how long I have with you."

"Am I dreaming?" she whispered hoarsely.

"No, sweetie, you're not," he replied.

"How is this happening?"

"Love is brightest in the dark, remember?" Aang quoted with a bittersweet smile, "I needed to see you again. I needed to tell you that I was sorry."

"For what?"

"I should have told you what was happening to me. I didn't want to hurt you."

"Being here without you is what hurts me, Aang," she said, "Nothing seems to matter anymore without you."

"You don't mean that. Our children matter. Our grandchildren matter. Our _great-grandson_ matters. You matter. I want you to remember that. Promise me."

"I'll try, but it's so hard," she whispered. "I miss you, Aang."

"I miss you too," he whispered back, "I _never_ wanted to leave you, Katara."

The compulsion became too strong for Katara then. She finally worked up her nerve to try to touch him then because she simply couldn't resist the desire to do so any longer. She had to feel him one last time. But just as Katara pulled her stiffened fingers from her mitten and reached out to skim his bearded jaw with her fingertips, the sound of her name being called startled her into retreat.

She glanced aside to see her worried daughter trudging over the ridge just beyond her. When she turned back to address Aang and alert him of Kya's presence, Katara was disappointed to discover he was gone. She was still frowning in dismay, her hair whipping in the stirring wind when Kya reached her side.

"Mom, why do you keep disappearing this way? What are you doing out here? I've been looking all over for you! Why are you on the ground? Are you hurt?" Without allowing Katara to get a word in edgewise or waiting for a response to any of her questions, Kya already began briskly checking her mother over for any signs of broken bones. However, Katara barely reacted to her daughter's scolding and clucking concern because she was too distracted by the incredible encounter she'd just had.

"Kya, I saw your father," Katara rushed out excitedly, "He was just right here. He was talking to me."

The younger waterbender froze, her expression suspended in uneasiness. It was clear from Kya's still manner that she was having a difficult time believing Katara. "Mom, you're tired and you're cold…"

"I'm not crazy. I didn't make this up in my head. It's true," Katara insisted, "He was right here."

"You and Dad always told us that the line between the physical world and spirit world only blurred during the solstice," Kya reminded her gently, "It's not the solstice. How could you see him if it's not the solstice, Mom?"

Katara gripped Kya's forearm tightly, eyes wide and desperate. "I saw him, Kya. I did."

Kya needed only to meet her mother's lucid stare to know for an absolute certainty that Katara hadn't conjured up her father's image in a grief-stricken moment. It was impossible to deny the adamant conviction reflected in those blue depths. She didn't argue with Katara further. She knew that if any two people could find a way to connect with each other, even from the mysterious reaches of the spirit world, those people would be her parents. Their love had been that strong. She had witnessed it with her own eyes so there was no reason to doubt that their bond couldn't transcend anything, including death.

So instead of trying to reason out her mother's claim logically, Kya merely nodded her acceptance. Her first instinct was to interrogate Katara about what her father had said, to ask if he missed them as desperately as they missed him, but Kya held the impulse in check. Somehow she realized instinctively that whatever conversation had taken place between her parents it was something private and sacred between them alone…something special. If her mother wanted her to know then Kya had every expectation that Katara would share it with her someday. But, for now, Kya could respect Katara's desire to keep the details close to her heart.

Quelling the spurt of jealousy she felt over not having shared the experience too, Kya tugged Katara to her feet. "We have to get going now," she told Katara, "There's a storm coming soon and we need to get inside before it hits."

"I can handle a storm, Kya. I want to stay just a little while longer…" Katara insisted, her eyes darting about the barren setting in frantic hope for a glimpse of Aang. "I want to be here in case your father comes back. Sweetheart, please. Don't make me leave just yet."

Not wanting to deny her really, even wanting to linger for her own glimpse, Kya vacillated for a moment. But as she looked out over the vast expanse she saw nothing except miles and miles of pristine snow and cold, gray clouds gathering overhead, signaling the approaching storm. Although it pained her to do so, Kya hesitantly shook her head in refusal.

"Mom, we can't stay out here. I don't think Dad would want you to risk it, especially not on his behalf." Katara met her daughter's eyes with a disappointed sigh, unable to negate the truth in her words. Kya hugged her closer. "We need to go before the storm comes."

As Kya half pulled, half guided her back up the snow bank, Katara threw one last desperate glance over her shoulder and then, as the sun's rays turned ever so slightly, she saw him standing there, bathed in the hazy golden light of approaching dusk. This time, however, he was clad in full airbender robes, looking every inch the bending master he was and the avatar he had once been. The bright material billowed and flowed around his body in the kicking wind as he stood impervious to the cold, his focus trained completely on Katara. She smiled at him, sensing that in a matter of moments, he would disappear altogether.

"I love you, Aang," she murmured to him in her heart.

And, as the wind accelerated around her, Katara could swear she heard him whisper back to her, "_I love you_. We'll see each other again, Katara. I'll be waiting for you."

That one whispered vow gave Katara the needed strength to go on, to look forward to an unknown future like nothing else had…because at least now she knew that she would be with him again someday. _Yes, we will see each other again, Aang_, she promised as the vision of him faded away into nothingness, _we definitely will._

**~End~**

**A/N: The sky burial is a concept that Amira Elizabeth, some friends and I came up with years ago. It's based on an actual custom that is a bit more gruesome than the one I described here, but when we discovered it, we knew that it was the perfect way to say goodbye to an airbender. I wanted to use it for Aang. So thanks guys, wherever you are.**

**Also, thank you all for reading. I know these last couple of chapters haven't been a walk at the beach, so it means a lot that you guys stuck it out. I have the best readers ever!**


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